Teenage Detective:Mystery of the Dark Snow Village
by ridXwan
Summary: The Sequel to Teenage Detective, just two weeks after the first story, Harry gets a call from a childhood friend to come to Dark Snow village for a funeral, thus cancelling his Christmas plans with Ron and Hermione. But this call brings a gloomy event and
1. Prologue

**Teenage Detective:**

**Mystery of the Dark Snow Village**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters as they are belong to J.K Rowling, Warner Brothers, Bloomsbury, Scholastics and the plot of the story is own by Fumiya Sato, creator and writer of the comic Kindaichi Case Files**

**Prologue**

"Here in a quiet place?" an eight year old Harry asked. "What are you trying to draw now?"

He crept behind the girl with utter curiosity. The girl, long black hair, sat on the knee-high stool, was painting softly on a canvas. Her painting toolbox sat loyally beside her like a dog.

"I'm trying to draw a 'snowy scenery'?" answered the girl politely.

Cherry blossom leaves started to fall their trees. "But this is the Cherry blooming season, there's no snow falling down," he said, raising a hand as a small pink cherry blossom leaf dropped onto his palm. "See," he said pointedly, but the leaf melted immediately.

"What! Snow?"

He looked up, snow mixing with the leaves, creating a beautiful magical scenery. It was very beautiful and enchanting, but Harry could not help but be confuse and sad.


	2. The Surprise Call

**Teenage Detective**

**Chapter 1: The Surprise Call**

Harry blinked his eyes open and swiftly sat up in his bed. "There's no way it is snowing now," he said to himself.

There was a knock at his door. "Harry, are you awake now?" Ron asked, from behind the door.

"Yeah, I'm awake now," he said, swinging his legs out of bed and letting them hang over the side.

A tall red haired boy stuck his head inside the room. "Breakfast is already made. Mum made it especially big for us," he said with a wide grin. "Like always,"

"I'll be down in a minute," he answered back with a grin too.

"Kay," Ron said dismissively and closed the door.

Harry got up and did his morning ritual. He lived in his new room at Grimmauld Place; it was actually Sirius old room, but Harry decorated it to suit him. Dropping the book he read last night before he went to sleep on the desk, he went to the bathroom, which connected to his room.

I was just two weeks after the Smiths case and Harry did not know what was going on in the world and in school. And wouldn't for another couple of weeks as they were in the middle of their vacation.

After finishing his morning ritual and dressing up he made his way down to the kitchen. It was a familiar sight these past few days. Hermione spotted him first and greeted him. "Morning, Harry," she said merrily, and then followed up by the others - Ron, Ginny, Mr. Weasley and the other Weasleys.

"Morning everyone," he greeted back with a bright smile and sat at his space between Ron and Hermione. Then Mrs. Weasley made her way with a pot full of baked beans and filled Harry's plate with it.

"Sorry, dear, not much of breakfast left," she said while filling Harry's plate with whatever left of breakfast. She did this while glaring at her sons.

"We're sorry mum, we can't help if we're growing," said Fred, mocking innocence.

"Besides, Ron finished your lovely scramble eggs alone," George added for his brother.

"What?" Ron snapped, but flushed shyly. "I did not," he added.

"Ickle Ronniekins, whipped out the whole table in seconds," said George, furthering their jokes.

"No wonder he's a bit tubby," said Fred briskly, as the room erupted in laughter.

"Mum!" Ron whined, pleading with his mother to end this.

"Stop it you two this instant, you should be more conscious towards your younger brother, who was trapped by a mad doctor for a month, and be thankful that's he's alive," she scolded the twins. Ron smiled smugly. Then she turned to her youngest son. "And Ron you do need to exercise. You are beginning to look fat," she said with motherly concern.

Ron grimaced, while his friends and family snickered, including his father.

The door opened and in came Remus, in his unusual muggle attire. "Morning everyone," he greeted everyone politely like greeting a class he was teaching. They all greeted back. "Harry, there's a phone call for you," he said, his face showing a bit of concern.

The table turned quiet and Mrs. Weasley stopped her dish washing.

Harry turned to Remus, a spoon about to enter his mouth. "Who?" he asked.

"I think it's for you to find out," said Remus.

Harry was mildly surprised with Remus' words. He stared at his friends and nodded to excuse himself. He stood up form his seat and left the kitchen, going to the phone, which was near the stairs. He picked up the receiver, hanging by the side of the phone. He put the receiver by the ear and spoke "Hello."

"Hullo Harry!" the voice belonged to a delighted young man.

Harry thought he recognised the voice, but was shocked and surprised to hear it. It had been a decade since he had last heard the boy on the other side of the connection and he had to confirm it. "Who's this?" he asked cautiously.

"It's Kevin, Kevin Laporte, remember?"

With that single answer, everything flooded back into his mind. "Ah, Kevin! I remember, from the Dark Snow Village," he said with delight.

The voice from the other line too was happy. "Glad you remembered me, Harry," said Kevin, though Harry thought he was hiding some sadness behind his voice.

Harry laughed a bit and scratched the back of his head. "It's been a long time. We were in second grade, and that was like nine or ten years ago," he said jokingly.

"I sent some Christmas cards but you didn't reply to any of them!" Kevin mocked in anger.

"Umm… sorry, you know how it is with me relatives and all," said Harry sheepishly.

"It's all right. I'm glad you're living in a new place, away from those brooders," said Kevin in full understanding.

"By the way, how did you get this number?" Harry asked curiously, he only gave this number to six people only: the Dursleys, Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Hermione, Dennis Creevey and the late Susan Bones. Then Harry remembered another one who has his number.

"Oh, I called your relatives; they gave me your number while saying disrespectful things about you. Your bloody uncle even asked me if I was a 'freak'? What was wrong with him?" said Kevin in disbelief.

Harry laughed in nervousness. "Pressure form work, I guess," he answered. Kevin replied in agreement, then Harry popped the question, "So, why calling me all of a sudden?" he asked directly and a bit rude, but he had to asked. The other end of the line was silent long enough that Harry was about to ask if Kevin had hung up on him, but Kevin spoke in a grim voice.

"Truthfully, I called you because of bad news,"

"What?"

As Kevin spoke, Harry remained gravely quiet.

* * *

The view of the green hills, filled with trees, untouched by the December snow was a relaxing view as he train cut threw the hills to get to the shores. Harry watched the scene outside while reminiscing about what happened two hour ago with his bestfriends.

"I'm sorry, but I have to spend Christmas somewhere else," he said sadly.

"Bloody hell, Harry, this is our last Christmas in school," Ron began to protest.

"I know, but…"

"But what?" Hermione asked suddenly just as furious as Ron. "We're your bestfriends. We're here to celebrate the holidays with you, to make up for last year," she said. Her reasons were strong and Ron nodded in agreement.

Harry gazed at them, but by the look on his face Ron and Hermione knew Harry had a better explanation. He was serious about this. "I know you're my bestfriends, but I also have other friends… long lost childhood friends," he explained, surprising Ron and Hermione. Though when it came to Harry, it was always full of surprises.

"The thing is…" he began an explanation that left a big scar in their just repaired friendship.

* * *

He knew made the right decision, following his heart and gut feeling, and hopefully his friends would understand it. His thoughts were back with the real reason for this trip, but his thoughts were cut short when someone sat in front of him, abruptly waking him from his reverie. What was more surprising is that it was a bushy haired girl in jeans and blue hooded sweater.

"Hermione?" he asked bluntly, puzzled at her appearance before him. "What are you doing here?"

She grinned beamingly at him. "I can't well leave you alone for Christmas," she told him, while adjusting her snow cap.

"But I'm not alone there," he said blankly, a small smirk playing on his face.

"I know but you need someone from home, don't you?" she asked, giving him a hurt look.

Harry gave her a smile. "It's good of you to be here… but what about your family? And the Weasleys?" he looked frantically around the train, poking his head into the corridor. "And Ron? Is he here?" he asked excitedly, but all Hermione could give was a sad look.

"No he's not here, sorry," she answered sadly. "He's spending Christmas with his family. He really wanted to follow, but Mrs. Weasley wouldn't allow him… but he sends you his regards," she said and Harry too felt sad.

Hermione noticed the gloomy tension in the air, changed the subject. "Now tell me more about this Dark Snow Village," she said interrogatively.

Harry smiled. "You do get to the point, huh?" he asked slyly.

"Well I wouldn't be me if I didn't, right?" she shot back as slyly as she can, with a toothy smile.

Harry nodded and proceeded to tell her about when he was eight. The Dursleys brought him along on one of their cheap vacations. At first he thought it was going to boring but it turned out otherwise. The village used to be called St. Edwards, but now it is called the Shading Snow Village. He was there for only two weeks, but it as one the most memorable part of his childhood life. He made seven new friends back then.

"The best part was the day before the vacation ended, the eight of us buried a time capsule right in the school field," he told Hermione excitedly.

"When do you guys planned to open it?" Hermione asked curiously leaning forward in her seat.

Harry let out a sigh and leaned back into his seat. "At that time we promised to open it up ten years from then," he said, looking back at the moving view outside the window. "The whole thing was planned by Darren Milner – he and Kevin were called 'The Battery Pair' in the football club, only he can catch Kevin's powerful kick from a far," he explained this Darren fellow. He laughed all of a sudden. "Never understood muggle sports," he said honestly, Hermione let out a snicker. "I bet there are loads of scouts looking for them," he said. Harry then told Hermione about the other five people.

Amy Hancock, a natural in tennis and always pretty. Hermione frowned and her stomach felt a little uneasy.

Farah Tornberg, an intelligent girl, but hard for people to socialize with her. Bestfriends with Amy.

By the time Harry told her about the two girls, the train was nearing his intended destination. "Ah, we're nearing there and it's almost one, we got to hurry or the bus will go without us," he said, a little panicked.

Harry quickly grabbed everything he brought with him on this trip, a simple dufflebag and grabbed Hermione by the hand. Hermione, a bit stunned by his action, quickly figured that she just had to follow Harry's lead.

* * *

They arrived at the bus station, but encountered another problem.

"How could I forgotten to bring some mug- coins with me," Harry said, panicking again. He turned to Hermione, who too was distressingly checking her pockets for any muggle money. She shook her head sheepishly.

Harry turned to the driver and smiled apologetically. "Sorry sir but… can we pay some other time?" he asked politely, bowing his head a little. Hermione supported him with a pleading look to the large conductor man.

But luck came to them.

"Here Harry, I got some for you," said a brightly cheerful voice from behind them. They both turned around and down the steps at the sliding door of the bus, stood a boy, same age as them both and a little taller than Harry.

He had an oval shaped face, small blue eyes, and messy short blond hair. Harry was mostly surprised to see this person. "Ah you!" he blurted.

"Long time no see," said the boy, cool and grinning.

"Corbin McGavin," Harry said excitedly. "You've not changed a bit," he added.

"You've change a lot but still…." Corbin looked at Harry's wild hair, "Something do not change," said Corbin. He did not give Harry a chance to reply when he noticed Hermione. "And who's this lovely person here, your girlfriend?" he asked slyly, elbowing Harry in the stomach softly.

Hermione blushed and smiled kindly. "Hermione Granger, his friend from school, pleasure to meet a friend of his from childhood," she introduced herself graciously.

"She's just a friend," Harry said quickly, though could not hide his embarrassment.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, c'mon we're holding up the bus," said Corbin.

* * *

It was a twenty minute ride from the bus to the village. Inside the bus, Harry, Hermione and Corbin chatted to pass the time.

"Are you still keen on playing the guitar? I heard you wanted to become a 'Rock Star'?" Harry asked curiously interested.

Corbin was hesitant to reply but nervously answered back. "Em… right, once in awhile, for fun. Now whenever the school holidays come, I must come back and help my father at the dock. I don't have much time to play the guitar," he said while scratching his head.

Harry was tremendously surprised but did not show it. Instead he let out an 'oh!' Then he noticed Corbin's fingers on the hand that was scratching his head. Corbin's fingers used to be soft like a girl's, but were now hard as a sailor's.

* * *

"We're here!" announced Corbin ecstatically to Harry and Hermione.

The first thing Harry did was to smell the cool breeze of the ocean air. "The smell of the sea," he said ardently and examined the village. Placed between the bay and small green hills, it was an old place, with houses made of bricks and wood that were lined neatly. The dock was an eye-catcher, seven boats parked by the pier and one small raft by the steps. Harry grinned delightedly.

"It hasn't changed. Nine years and it's still the same," he said honestly. Harry turned to Hermione, and smiled at the look of appreciative awe on Hermione. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's beautiful," she said, clearly never having seen a village so beautiful.

Corbin however let out an irate sigh, "In the Shading Snow Village its like time has stopped forever," he said in irritation, but smirked.

Then someone called from behind them. "Harry," called a giggly voice. The three spun around. A girl, as tall as Corbin and wearing a school uniform, ran to them. "It's really, really you!" she said in disbelief, waving frantically while running towards the three. She had wavy black hair, a chubby face, small nose and black eyes. And she had this cheerful expression, something special she had since she was little.

"Alin?" Harry said in mild surprise. "Avlin Alin."

Alin did not hug him, instead mussed his hair. "So miss you… you still haven't grown a lot," she said teasingly.

Harry grinned. "It's you who have grown, giant girl!" he joked back.

Then she beamed at Harry full of admiration. Hermione noticed this and felt a turning in the pit of her stomach. "When Kevin told me that you were coming, I was amazed!" she said earnestly. Hermione felt the churning continue to tighten. "Like always you can stay at my place," she told him, and Hermione felt her stomach quivering violently but it stopped immediately and disappeared when Alin noticed her. "Oh, who's is this?" she asked, smiling brightly at Hermione.

The bushy haired girl came out of the unusual feeling and replied anxiously," Hermione Granger, Harry's friend form school."

"A friend, even better. There's a lot of room at my place," Alin said brightly.

Harry asked quickly. "Where's Kevin?"

Alin turned silent but her cheery face remained. "He's at Elizabeth's house… all of us will be gathering there," she said solemnly.

Then all four turned silent. The breeze was the only sound that could be heard.

* * *

A/N: First chapter and phew... i put my heart into this, thanks again to rackhmar, oh yeah, if you want me to continue, please kindly submit three reviews ofr this chapter. After all, this is a sequel to Teenage Detective.


	3. Unforgiving Colour

**Teenage Detective: Mystery of the Dark Snow Village**

**Chapter 2**

**Unforgiving Colour**

Alin brought Harry and Hermione to her house, a two storey motel, the second biggest house in the town. It was an old place, but well taken care of, despite the lack of customers around. The motel had twenty rooms and three bathrooms, which were shared by the customers. It was a one star quality place, but Harry and Hermione did not mind it as long as they had a place to stay.

They put their bags in their respective rooms and dressed for the funeral. After that, Harry, Hermione and Alin set off to Elisabeth's house. They met Corbin at the front of Elisabeth's house, a semi attached bungalow. Harry gazed forlornly at the house, dark clouds hovering over them as memories flooded his mind.

Elisabeth Ann Catherine… out of the eight people that buried the time capsule, she was really quiet. In a quiet corner of the school, she put her painting tools and canvas and the easel and started painting. The shadow she left when she was painting, was giving a deeper meaning for Harry. He was reminiscence back to the dream this morning.

'_I am trying to draw a snowy scenery'_

A phone call later, telling him the shocking death of Elisa. She died yesterday, killing herself…. cutting her wrist. She was found by the beach.

* * *

"Darren! Amy!" Harry greeted his two childhood friends. The two people were greeting the guests. Both were mildly shocked that Harry came.

Darren was a short boy, shorter than any of them. He has a round shaped face, a crew cut hair, small beady eyes and small nose. What he lacked in height, though, he made up in strength, which made him a great thrower for the football team.

Amy had an athletic figure and slightly tanned skin. She had short auburn hair and a face with shape of a love symbol. She was really pretty with sparkling green eyes and no freckles. But today her eyes had no sparkle, just gloom and distress.

"Harry!" Amy said mildly intrigued.

"Darren came too," Darren said in the same tone as Amy.

Harry, Hermione, Alin and Corbin exchanged gloomy greetings with two of them. Then Harry told them his story on how he got to the village.

"You came all the way from London… thank you," Darren said unsurely.

"I got a call from Kevin and I was shocked to be part of a funeral," said Harry.

Darren looked down. "Yes untill now it's hard to believe it," he said quietly.

Everyone made their way to the living room where the funeral was being held. When Harry entered, his eyes fell on a boy sitting close to the casket. The boy was well built and athletic, and crew cut hair like Darren's.

"Kevin," Harry called the boy as the others approached from behind.

Kevin turned around slowly, revealing his miserable expression to Harry and the others. "Harry!"

Harry smiled slightly. "It's a good thing you called me," he said honestly.

Kevin looked down and gripped what seem like a bracelet with brown beads. "When we all gathered around for an event, we would always remembered you," said Kevin, then his voice quivered. "Elisa, the one who never talked much, couldn't stop talking when we were in that situation… She would always tell us… And hope that one day all of us would gather again someday," he said as tears began to streak down his face, as well as Alin, Amy and Hermione, who was sadden by the story. "Why did she have to kill herself?" he muttered, while gripping the bracelet tightly.

Sadness swept across the room and everyone felt it. Elisa's mother, who sat right across from them, did not show anything or talk, even when guests approached her to console her. Amy wiped her tears while Corbin watched from the living room threshold.

Suddenly a very beautiful long haired girl burst in the room, striding in with elegance and slight arrogance. For a moment Harry and Hermione were sure she was Cho Chang, with the Asian look and long black hair. The girl, like Amy and Alin, was in a black school uniform. "Sorry I'm late, I almost couldn't find my bracelet," she said nonchalantly.

"Eh, who's that!" Harry asked wonderingly. Corbin gazed at him like he was an idiot.

"Don't you remember, that's Farah!" Corbin scolded.

Harry was utterly shocked. "Farah, the Farah Tornberg with glasses," he said, almost shouting. Corbin let out a snort.

"She's been selected 'The Snow Queen' this year at the carnival," said Corbin, irritated. "Ever since then, she's been arrogant," he added.

Kevin became suddenly furious, "Finding a bracelet! This is our bestfriend's funeral," he said pointedly, but never looked at Farah.

"That's why I brought it along," she countered incredulously. "We bought the bracelets together, how can I alone not bring it?" she reasoned.

Harry turned to Alin for an explanation. She smiled sheepishly and took out a bracelet that looked the same as Farah's and Kevin's. "There was a school trip to Liverpool, The seven of us bought bracelets at a souvenir shop. At first, it was a trend but…" her voiced stopped and turned to the opened coffin, which laid Elisabeth's body.

"I can't believe we wear it at this solemn time," she said sadly.

Harry kept quiet after that and watched as the ceremony went on.

* * *

Under the blooming cherry blossoms, the burial was to be done tomorrow. The graveyard was in another town since St. Edwards did not have one. The coffin would be kept in a church, situated in the middle of five towns, for a night. On top of the dead were placed three darts, an old way of the town to commemorate their founding father, a dart champion.

The darts were called 'Arrows of Carrier'.

* * *

Harry, Hermione and the six young teenagers of the village left the church with a sombre mood.

"Thee day after tomorrow will be the 'Snow Festival' that is three hundred years old and Elisa has waited so long for the festival to come," Alin told Harry and the others, wiping her teary eyes.

They decided not to let the day be all gloom, since Harry and Hermione were here, they decided to go to their school. The school was a two-storey building made from bricks, unlike the houses. It was well equipped with a field, a tennis court, and a park. They stood by a large oak tree in front of the school.

"Hey, I remember this old tree," said Harry, looking up and down the tree.

"Yeah, you once fell from above and damn you almost died," said Corbin boldly. Hermione glared at the back of Harry's head. He failed to notice, but several of the others did.

"If it wasn't for Kevin and Darren, I could have died," said Harry, smirking.

"A frail boy like you back then would have died from a breeze," said Darren jokingly, and they all laughed, even Harry, who blushed.

"But the weird thing was what happened after that," said Alin, quickly facing Hermione as well as the others. Amy nodded furiously. "Yes, the new Science teacher thought Harry was one of us and it ended up with him learning with us in one class," she said, giggly.

Hermione giggled at the story.

"I was bored at that time so I thought 'might as well join in,'" said Harry jokingly. They laughed mirthfully at the joke. "I couldn't believe I was there for two weeks and my cousins almost left me," said Harry.

Alin then made a stern face. "Well they should so you could live here forever," she said, hands on her hips.

Then Farah opened her mouth and gave a crafty look at Harry. "That's impossible to live here in this town. London is way better than here. I bet he has a girlfriend there," she said slyly. "Or maybe he already brought her." She looked at Hermione with that sly look.

The two Hogwarts students blushed and looked away from one another.

Then Darren made fun of Harry again. "If he has one, he won't get any help from her," said Darren, laughing barkingly, followed by the others. Harry frowned at this, but let it slide since the day was very tragic. Then his mind went back to his late friend, he had to confirm something.

"I want to know?" he asked and everyone turned to him, halting their laughter. "Did Elisa really kill herself?"

The six teenagers from the town turned awfully silent and looked away from each other, until Corbin spoke. "She left a note… but that note was hard to understand," he said quietly and recited the note that was short yet difficult to decipher.

'_A colour that was happiness at first…_

_I can't believe it turn out an unforgiving colour!_

_I can't be… except death…_

"An unforgiving colour?" that part of the line flooded Harry's mind with questions. Even in her handwriting left traces like tears, but it were traces of her handwriting. Was the colour just ingredient?

Elisa really loves to paint.

A colour that was happiness… an unforgiving colour.

* * *

Farah and Amy were walking back home together. The street was quiet and deserted. The path was grassy and tough. Electric posts lined the narrow street. The two girls were heatedly discussing about their just deceased friend. Unknown to them someone was listening to their conversation.

"She forced herself to die because of some rubbish rumour!" Farah said irritatingly, while running a hand through her hair.

"But Farah! I saw the weird stuff she bought," said Amy anxiously, her face paling by the minute. Farah turned pale too and her eyes widen.

"Really Amy," Farah said. "You mean…"

"Yes!" Amy said loudly and nervously. "That's why she thought our gossip was true… she said she couldn't live anymore. What should we do, Farah? If other people know, we will be…" Amy was cut off by a furious Farah.

"But nobody else knows. And no one will know!" cried Farah, her veins showing. Then she calmed down, looking at Amy, scared. "She killed herself because of her own foolishness, not ours," Farah reasoned. Amy nodded reluctantly.

"Really Farah?" she asked.

"Of course," she said coolly. The girls walked along till they reached their house.

The dark figure hiding behind the shadows of the lamp posts, gripped his hands as he finished listening to the girls' conversation.

* * *

The mysterious figure looked down at the body of Elisabeth Catherine, still shaking from the conversation he heard this evening. When he saw how beautiful Elisa was, even in the coffin, and the three darts lying on top of Elisa's body, he knew exactly what to do. He picked up all the darts and swore something under his breath… revenge.

'_Let those who should not be forgiven, die with a knock from death!'

* * *

_

Read and Review please, i can't go on without reviews...


	4. Cherry Blossoms, Snow and Time Capsule

**Teenage Detective**

**Mystery of the Dark Snow Village**

**Chapter 3**

**Cherry Blossom, Snow and Time Capsule**

"The darts… their taken… but how?" said the baffled clueless priest as he gazed upon Elisa's body. Swiftly he went to the ropes and rung the bell.

* * *

"Wow, for a skinny boy, you sure do eat a lot," said Alin, amazed as Harry took a second plate of servings. They were eating in the motel's kitchen.

"Oh you haven't seen him when our friend's mother cooked especially for her dear Harry," teased Hermione, smiling glowingly at Harry, who was uncharacteristically eating away like Ron.

Harry ignored the girl's comment and ate away. "Sorry Ms. Lavigne, I came to this town and disturbing you just to fulfil my appetite," he said shamelessly, he couldn't help it if Alin's mother was a great cook.

"It's alright dear, you're always welcome in this lovely town," said Mrs. Lavigne brightly. Alin watched Harry eating in odd amazement while her mother chatted away, washing the dishes. "Since the hew port was built in the neighbouring town, a lot of people went there for work, and because of that, a lot of my rooms are empty," she said sadly.

Harry and Hermione looked at her with pity. Then Harry remembered something. "Oh, where's Mr. Lavigne? I haven't seen him since I arrived?" he said.

"He's busy with the preparation for the festival," she replied. "When you came with those incredibly awful relatives of yours, I remember it was the Snow Festival," she said happily reminiscence.

"Yeah I remember too," Harry replied while drinking his cup of tea.

Then Hermione curiously asked away, "What is the 'Snow Festival?"

The older woman happily answered. "The cherry blossoms that are full of blooming leaves, covered nicely with thin layers of snow. Every year, it happens like magic, the last week before Christmas, at exactly six in the morning, snow will fall and after an hour, snow turns to rain and it continues like this for seven day straight. Generally, this phenomenon has happened for hundreds of years."

Harry and Hermione were astonished, living as wizards and witches, this kind of thing did not happen in their world. It was clearly…

"Magic," both of them whispered in unison.

"That's right, ever since then, this village held the 'Snow Festival' every year," said Alin enthusiastically.

* * *

After breakfast, Harry, Hermione and Alin went out in their winter clothing, to meet their friends. Hermione was still interested in the 'Snow Festival'.

"If that's the case, tomorrow morning would be the first day of the snow falling," she said logically. Harry's eyes were on the book Alin was carrying.

"Of course the snow will fall, for hundreds of years it has been like that," Alin said surely.

"Hey Alin, what are you reading?" he asked out of the blue.

"Oh this," she pointed to the book in her hand. " 'The Red Letter' by Elary Quinn," she replied proudly, handing the book to Harry for him to examined.

"A mystery novel, is it good?" Hermione asked, sharing a look at the book with Harry.

Alin nodded. "Truthfully, I wanted to be a writer one day, that's my ultimate dream," said the wavy haired girl determinedly.

Harry was surprised to hear this piece of information. "You, a writer?" he asked puzzled and almost mocking.

Alin pouted her lips, hands on her hips and glared sternly at the raven haired boy. "Do not underestimate me, Harry Potter, my writing is great and I have read tons of books," she stated with sternness that almost reminded Harry of McGonagall.

Harry grinned at her. "What writing, your diary in second grade was all about boring stuffs like waking up and brushing your teeth," he said playfully and Alin snatched her book back and swatted at Harry but missed.

"Ah, you read my diary!" she cried flushingly. Hermione just giggled form the side.

* * *

They arrived at the Grand Cold Road, where the festival will be held. The road was the widest in the town and had a large playground, suitable to hold an event.

"Harry! Alin! Hermione! Over here," called Darren by the ladder with Kevin, setting up lights by the fences. Harry saw them and ran to them with Hermione and Alin following closely.

"Hey guys, St. Edwards' Battery Pair busy preparing the festival?" he said, as meant as a tease but Kevin and Darren were quiet. "The Football Club trains daily but for the festival, they would rest a bit?" said Harry again. Then he noticed the uneasy exchanged of loon between the two crew-cut haired boys and he was puzzled.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Darren nodded to Kevin. "Harry… actually, Darren and I are no longer members of the Football Club," the tall boy informed Harry, and the raven haired opened his mouth in shocked.

"What! The best striker Laporte backed off from football… why?" Harry asked confusingly.

"It's not like that," replied Kevin quickly. "The number of members was too low and it wasn't enough to keep it alive," he said sadly. Harry then turned to Darren.

Darren nodded, flushing pink. "Yes, the football club disbanded a year ago," he said.

"But if the club still existed, I can't even participate in it," said Kevin regretfully, letting out a sigh. Harry was even more shocked to hear what Kevin just said. The boy just changed the subject.

"Hey, do you still remember the time capsule we buried nine years ago?" Kevin asked.

Harry face changed into one of joyfulness. "Of course, we buried it in the school field right before I went to London," he said, looking at the sky.

'_That morning the snow covered the cherry blossom leaves'_

"I just talked about it with Darren and how about if we gather everyone tomorrow morning and dug that time capsule out," suggested Kevin excitedly.

Alin nodded in agreement. "Even though it's not what we promised but Elisa wouldn't mind it if we dug it early," she said cheerily. They all smiled at her.

"Yes you're right," said Harry in fierce agreement.

* * *

"Oh all of you are here," said an arrogant voice. The five of them turned around and found two girls in their age, but one of them caught their eyes, dressed in a beautiful light blue gown called the 'Snow Queen's dress'.

"Amy! Farah!" Alin yelled, happy to see them as the girls approached. Harry quickly went over to Amy, while Hermione eyed him.

"Hey Amy, why is Farah dressed like that?" he asked curiously. He could help but compare Farah to a girl back in fourth year in Hogwarts and a certain night at the Yule Ball.

Amy turned her head to him. "Farah has been chosen as the 'Snow Queen', she'll be handling the praying job at the church," informed Amy, though nervously. "Not only that, she'll be meeting the townsfolk, the neighbouring town and other matters."

Farah blushed. "It's only a small matter, only a ceremony in a small town, just act as you should and everything will be alright," she said confidently.

"In other words she's a salesgirl," Darren joked, earning him a murderous glare from Farah.

The long haired girl turned to Harry. "When will you be going home to London, Harry?" she asked.

"What…um, maybe after Christmas," he answered calmly.

Then she stood closely to Harry, too close for Hermione's liking.

"After school, I would love to visit London, and I'd like you to be my tour guide there," she suggested seductively. Harry was flabbergasted with the suggestion. Then she backed off and her face beamed of arrogance. "After finishing school, I want to stay in London to take up some acting classes. If I stay in this town, it's just a waste of time for me. Ever since the new harbour was built, this place became more and more quiet day by day, shops closing one by one. Staying in the down-spirited town, anyone can feel sunk," she told Harry, but no one liked what she was saying, especially Alin, who quickly protested.

"But this place has its advantages; people like Harry and Hermione from the busy city come to this place for peace and relaxation. The town is in harmony with nature, the fresh air, fishes caught freshly, what more do you think less of this place," Alin said but Farah just rolled her eyes at her.

"That's village talk, perfect for a hag like you," Farah shot scathingly, and Alin felt the sting.

Alin's blood boiled and her cheerfulness complexion fell from her face. "Who you're calling a hag, you she-devil, who poked her eyebrows till you look like one," she yelled in Farah's face, letting out her anger.

"What did you say? A girl like you is not qualify to mock me," Farah shot back.

"Piss off," Alin countered and everyone gasped, shocked to hear it. Kevin could not take it.

"Both of you stop fighting!" he yelled, and the girls stopped their bickering. "It was hard to invite Harry back here and you two go on fighting in front of him and Hermione," he said glaring at the both of them. Both of them looked shamelessly from each other. "Elisa wouldn't like to see both of you like this, right Harry?" but the boy he was asking was preoccupied with something else.

"Hmmm," he was checking something out. "I always thought priestesses are honest, but you are not," he said while checking out Farah's exposed leg, showing from the side of the gown.

Farah screamed and swatted at Harry but he quickly moved, thus avoiding Farah's blow. "What are you doing?" he asked cheekily but he received a slap on the face by Hermione. He touched his burn cheeks and winced at the pain. He was shocked and cried to Hermione.

"Ouch why you do that for?" he asked, rubbing his aching cheek.

"We were about to ask you the same thing!" cried both Farah and Hermione, glaring menacingly at Harry and he backed off. Everybody else laughed mirthfully at him. Alin sighed in relief as the tension was ebbed away thanks to Harry, who laughed along with the others.

"Harry is too much," said Kevin in his laughter. Alin nodded in agreement.

"His sure change a lot now," said Amy, her smiled widen while her bestfriend snorted.

Darren whispered closely to Harry's ears. "Why do you think Farah isn't honest?" he asked eagerly. Harry would have gladly answered back but got cut off as he avoided another swat form Farah.

* * *

Corbin came five minutes later with food form the bakery and the eight walked to the nearby playground to eat. They picked a spot near the benches and a few boxes for them to sit on. They chatted as they ate and Corbin delivered very grave news.

"What? The darts in Elisa's coffin are missing?" said Kevin in shocked.

"Is it true, Corbin?" Alin asked anxiously, as they all turn to the blonde.

He let out an irate huff. "Yeah, just this morning when I was sending some fishes to the church, I eavesdropped on the priest's conversation and heard all about the missing darts!" said Corbin, enraged. "Who would do such a thing?"

"But why would anyone steal the darts?" Kevin asked, concernedly.

Darren put his hand to his chin to think. "There are a lot of boys, who are over obsessed with Elisa, maybe they stole the darts for keepsake," he said suggestively.

"That's rubbish!" Farah quickly protested harshly.

Alin then turned serious. "This is like one of those mystery…" she was cut off by Corbin.

"That's enough, you're reports about novels are long and boring," said Corbin annoyingly. Alin glared at him huffed.

"Amy! Why didn't you eat your bread?" Hermione asked, noticing the red head had not eaten like the rest of them.

Amy blushed. "Oh, I'm not hungry," she answered like it was something to be embarrass about.

* * *

As they chatted, Harry observed everyone while eating. When he arrived in the village, he did not expect everyone to change. He changed a lot and so did this people, so what was the difference?

Kevin and Darren backed out of the Football Club. Farah turned from normal to out of the ordinary gorgeous. Corbin almost quit guitar. Alin wanted to be a writer. Amy was not as active as she used to be. Each of them was not the same as none years ago, the ones who dreamt and changed.

'In later days maybe…' he thought.

But at that time, Harry did not notice the big change about to happen, the shadow looming between all of them.

* * *

The next morning was the time all of them promised to meet and dug up the time capsule. Harry was waiting patiently outside the motel for Alin and Hermione, when it happened.

"Girls, why do they take so long to dress," he mumbled to himself. "Oi, we're late right now, come down already!" he yelled as his patient was wearing thin. Then he noticed in front of his face a speckle of white dust falling from the sky. "Oh snow!" he said surprised, and gazed up to the sky. "Like nine years ago…"

"We're coming down," yelled Alin from the window. The girls came down and greeted Harry and they marched out to meet the others at Kevin's house.

"Hey, Harry, Alin, Hermione, over here!" Darren called out to them, with a shovel by his hips. Kevin and Amy were at his side and Kevin had a shovel too.

"You guys are late you know that, it's almost six and Corbin and Farah still aren't here yet," said Kevin checking his watch. "What to do? Another minute now and the snow will be in heap," he told Darren.

Darren nodded. "Yeah, everyone already agreed if there is anyone who is late, no need to wait," he said blankly.

"If that so then let's go," Kevin told them with enthusiasm. They marched off to the school field without Corbin and Farah, unknown of what lies ahead of them.

The sight of snow and the blooming cherry blossom trees was an incredibly beautiful sight. Harry and Hermione were utterly awed by the scene they were watching. The other four were already used to it, but none the less never got tired of it.

"Snow flakes floating above the cherry blossom," said Harry.

"It's beautiful," Hermione said delightedly as the snow brushed her cheeks and made her blush.

They reached the school field and everyone was relieved that the snow was not piling heavily and that they could dig out the time capsule easily.

Just before they stepped beyond the school gate that connected to the field, someone called out to them from behind. "Hey sorry I'm late!" Corbin yelled apologetically from a quarter of a mile away.

"Corbin what were you doing?" Alin asked irritatingly and interrogatively.

The blonde boy stopped in front of them and laughed while scratching his head. "Sorry mates, I had something important to do," he told them his excuse.

"You slept late, didn't cha?" Darren asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

While Corbin was attacked by a barrage of questions form his friends, Harry noticed something visible on the snow covered field.

"Footprints," he said, puzzled. Everyone turned around from Corbin, after hearing Harry's voice.

"Must be Farah's!" Amy said swiftly, feeling utterly surprised. Farah never went anywhere alone without her.

"Looks like she came earlier than all of us," said Alin.

Then Kevin noticed from afar. "Oh is that…" he said, focusing his eyes on a body lying in the middle of the field. "There's someone lying over there," he added casually.

"Ah, that white coat!" again Amy quickly said. "Could it be?"

Then time rushed by quickly as all seven teenagers ran swiftly across the field to…

"Farah!" all of them shouted in panic.

Farah was lying on her front, she was motionless and the footprints from the gates connected all the way to her feet.

Harry quickly knelt down by Farah and picked her up from the side onto his lap. "It's really her," he said and began to shake the lifeless girl. "Wake up Farah!" he cried. Then his eyes went wide as he noticed a dark stuck in the back of Farah's neck.

Everyone was shaking in fear.

"That dart… it's one of the darts that has been stolen form Elisa' coffin," said Corbin stutteringly.

Amy screamed shrilly and began to sob as Hermione and Alin quickly gathered the red haired girl in a hug.

Harry too like the others was shaking in fear, but his focus was on his surroundings. In the field there were only Farah's footprints that were left. Plus the dart was used mainly for decoration and could not be shot from afar.

Did Farah kill herself or is it the work of an impossible criminal?

* * *

**A/N:** I'm doing this chapter because i got reviews from a lot more than here so hopefully if you truly want me to add another chapter, please review, i need reviews to encourage myself to write.


	5. Man with the Scar

**Teenage Detective**

**Chapter 4: The Man with the Scar**

An hour later the rain poured down on the town, melting the snow away and adding to the grimness of the crime scene. Police spread out around the school field in search of evidence. The body of Farah Tornberg was covered up with a plastic sheet, protecting it from the rain.

Harry and the others were brought to the classrooms for questioning. They were questioned as a group by a white frilly haired inspector dressed in an expensive suit who never introduced himself. They sat while the inspector remained standing and began the questioning

"Before you arrived only the victim's foot prints were in the snow, correct?" the inspector began rather lazily.

"Yes… in the snow covered field," Alin replied, "on top of the white ground, some foot like marks were seen," she answered nervously, while looking down on the floor and gripping her jeans.

"I saw it too, there were no one else's footprints," Darren supported. "And anyone would leave footprints on the snow."

The inspector put a hand on his chin and furrowed his brows. "Hmm… this looks like a suicide case," he concluded boldly.

Scandalized by this straight-forward conclusion, Harry stood up and spoke, "Wait sir, you got it all wrong!"

The inspector turned his head to Harry and shot an irate glare at the young man. "Eh, who're you?" he asked annoyed.

Harry did not bother to introduced himself and cut to the chase. "There was a single dart stuck to the back of Farah's neck. I've never heard of someone commit suicide in such a manner," he said indignantly.

Kevin quickly stood up from his seat. "What do you mean?" he asked, making Harry look at him. To Harry it looked as if Kevin might be scared. "Are you saying that she was murdered?" he asked demandingly for the answer.

Harry was quiet for the moment and hesitantly answered.

"Yes… I'm sure of it."

Kevin grabbed Harry by the collar of his sweater. He was incredibly furious. "That's nonsense, there's no way a killer exist in this town," he yelled at Harry, who remained unbothered. Corbin and Darren pleaded Kevin to calm down.

"Cut it out, Kevin!" cried Corbin, trying to pull Kevin's arm that was holding Harry.

Harry looked up intently at the tall boy's scared eyes. "Yesterday, Farah was happy fashioning her dress, she didn't look like a suicidal person," he said blankly, making Kevin free him.

The tall boy was too shocked to answer. "This…," he said but Corbin cut him off.

"If she didn't kill herself, then how do you explain the footprints?" the blonde demanded. "You saw it too, Harry, only Farah's footprints were there and no one else!"

Then the crime scene police came in and reported to the inspector. "Did you find anything else?" the inspector asked.

"Nothing. Not even bird tracks," one of them reported.

The inspector turned back to the teenagers, smiling smugly. "See it's a suicide," he leered directly at Harry. "You can go back and we will call you if there's more questioning," the inspector told them, though Harry knew they would never be called..

The seven teenagers left the school on a sad note. The rain had stopped while they were inside. They walked out of the school building and they could see the tape around the wet field. Nobody was more saddened by this then Amy. Harry witnessed her shaking and clutching a bracelet since leaving the school area.

"Amy…!"

* * *

"Like a mystery novel!" cried Alin indignantly as she slammed her glass down, some of the hot coffee splashed on to Harry's cheeks. He cringed and held his burned cheeks. Hermione took her handkerchief form her pocket and gave it to Harry.

"Alin, what's got into you?" Harry complained as he grabbed the handkerchief from Hermione and wiped his face.

Alin was angry, her cheeks flushing. "This is definitely a murder case, don't you think so, Harry?" she looked intently and furiously at him and it made him forget about scolding her. "Farah always said that she wanted to go to London to enrol in performing arts and into the acting business. She's aggressive and too stubborn to lose, she won't kill herself."

Alin stopped her rant and looked down sadden at her coffee. "Also, I've been feeling that Farah's death has got something to do with Elisa's," she said doubtingly.

"I have the same feeling too, Alin," said Hermione, making Alin brighten up. "Two deaths in a week, that's something odd."

Harry looked at the both of them. He too felt the same and nodded to the girls. "Let's all go to the Tornberg's place," he suggested out of the blue.

"What?" both Alin and Hermione said in unison.

Harry stood up and put up his winter jacket. "We're going to prove that she didn't kill herself and find out the possibility that she was killed," he explained and already made his way to the door, with Alin and Hermione rushing to him with their jackets.

* * *

At Farah's house, a beautiful brick house, Mrs. Tornberg greeted the three. They were led to the living room, where the furniture was neatly put. The trio settled themselves on the couch, facing the solemn Mrs. Tornberg.

"Thank you for coming to see me in this grim hour," said Mrs. Tornberg, her eyes red from crying. She looked ill and it made the three teenagers hesitant to ask.

"Mrs. Tornberg… about Farah… I couldn't believe," Alin stuttered.

"Nor could I. The police said it was suicide, but before this she was eager to wear the Snow Festival dress," she said and paused abruptly. "Save…" she muttered.

Hermione heard it. "Save?" she repeated the old woman's word.

Mrs. Tornberg let out a sigh. "When Elisabeth passed away, the news was that the girl killed herself, when my daughter heard of it she turned uncharacteristically sad, even though she maintained her composure in front of everyone," the three listened to her very closely especially Harry. "But that night, she was a wreck, I was so worried that I watched her from outside her room, she was crying on the bed and kept saying."

"_Everything is my fault… they should blame me."

* * *

_

"Farah's death has really got to do with Elisa," Hermione said. They were now heading to Elisa's place using the lane by the harbour.

"If it's revenge, there's a motive there. Even though Elisa's a shy person, she attracted many boys," said Alin suggestively.

Harry on the other hand, walked silently behind the girls, thinking deeply about something. Alin then spoke of something she embedded in her memory, an unforgettable one.

"There's something that I kept for a long time, I never told anyone about this," the wavy haired girl spoke in a secretive manner.

"What is it? Tell us?" Hermione prodded, thinking that it might be one of those teenager's problem, even Harry thought so.

"It's about Elisa's father," Alin told them.

"Oh," the two Hogwarts student said disappointedly. Then they realised the real point. "OH!" they repeated with more enthusiasm.

Alin rolled her eyes at them. "What were you guys thinking?" then she turned serious, her eyebrows raised. "Before she was born, her parents were divorced, although she said she never seen her father's face but, I once saw her talking to someone who looked like her father!"

"You kept that for a long time?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Shush, hear me out first," Alin shushed him.

* * *

_Half a year ago…_

_Alin was walking back from school and was passing by the school trees. She noticed a girl with long black hair standing by the tree, actually watching the tree with a delightful face. "Isn't that Elisa, what's she doing?" Alin thought to herself._

"_Hey, Elisa!" Alin called out to her friend cheerily. She was about to make her way to her friend when Elisa spoke._

"_Father…"_

"_What?" Alin thought, scared all of a sudden. Sweat starting to develop on her forehead, even though it was cold._

_Then a large man, in a bowl hat, a frock coat and a surgical mask, appeared out of the tree. Alin couldn't make out the face or even the man's eyes but she could see a scar, vertically stretch across the man's right cheek._

"_It's been a long time, father," Elisa spoke excitedly._

"_That… that… man with the scar… is her father?" Alin thought, scared._

_She moved forward to take a closer look, but she accidentally stepped onto a twig, thus snapping it and making a noise. The man, who was Elisa's father turned around quickly and at that moment Alin saw his eyes. She was shaking and sweating profusely._

"_Oh no!" she gulped.

* * *

_

Alin was clutching Hermione's arms in fear. She was scared remembering that memory. "At that time I was so scared that I zoomed back to my house," she said whiningly.

Hermione patted the wavy haired girl's head, smiling softly. "There, there, anyone could be afraid of a man with a scar on his face," she told Alin.

Harry has his thoughts somewhere else.

Before they knew it, they already reached Elisa's house. Surprisingly and coincidentally, Darren was there, right in front of the house.

"Eh, Alin, Harry, Hermione!" the boy called out and it brought Harry out of his thinking. "Are the three of you visiting Ms. Catherine too?" he asked.

"Hey, Darren," Alin greeted and waving at him cheerily. "Yeah we came here to investigate!" she claimed.

Darren snorted. "Again, you read too many mystery books," he said sarcastically. He let out a sigh, which condensed in front of his face. "Suit yourself, but don't make Elisa's mother anymore sad than she is now," he said warningly.

Alin and Hermione nodded but Harry acted emotionless.

* * *

Ms. Catherine brought them to the living room, pictures of Elisa were hanging and displayed on top of the fireplace. The teenagers were making themselves comfortable as Ms. Catherine, a mature woman with long black hair, served drinks.

She sat opposite the four. Unlike Mrs. Tornberg, Ms. Catherine did not look ill at all.

"Thank you for coming," she began politely. "To give respect and condolence to my late daughter," she said as though it was routine. "Your visit means a lot for Elisabeth," she added.

Alin shook her head vehemently. "No we didn't help anything at all," she said back politely but Harry cut her off.

"Sorry madam,… can I see the note that Elisa left before she died," he said boldly.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, gripping his arm in response with both her hands.

"Potter!" Darren let out his shocked.

"You sure are straight forward," Alin said anxiously.

The three were worried that Harry's request would hurt Ms. Catherine's feelings, but the older woman did not show it. Instead, she closed her eyes and smiled softly. "You're the second person who requested to see it," she said, like it was a relief. "Kevin came and requested to see it two hours ago," she told them. This news surprised the four of them, especially Darren, who was taken aback by it.

She went to the small cupboard under the sixteen inch television. She pulled the middle compartment out and took out a piece of letter. After closing the compartment she brought the letter to the table.

"This is the letter containing the note. You can open and read it," she said kindly. But suddenly Harry's interest was not on the note but the name written in bold letters on the envelope.

"Who's Gavin L.P?" he asked curiously.

Mrs. Catherine did not mind to answer. "My former husband and Elisa's father," she said calmly.

"Elisa's father," Harry gulped while Alin looked worried. Hermione was more worried that Harry was pushing his luck.

Since none of the teenagers opened the envelope, the older woman did it herself. "Elisa hid from me the fact that she wrote letters to her father," she said as she put the note on the table. There written, the same words that Corbin recited yesterday.

'_A colour that was happiness at first…_

_I can't believe it turned out an unforgiving colour!_

_I can't be… except death!'_

"It looks like she wanted to send this to her father. Maybe I'm an irresponsible mother that made her write something like this to her father," she said in her opinion. "Why not tell me her problems… oh, I forgot to make you something to eat," she ran to the kitchen as soon she finished talking.

The four teenagers watched the kitchen door dumbly, a long silence followed till Harry broke it. "Hey guys, what's your opinion on the note?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Opinion?" Darren asked back dumbly, while the girls were puzzled.

"Is it not clear what Elisa was trying to say in the note?" Hermione said, Alin and Darren nodded in agreement.

Harry frowned at them. "No, not that, don't you think the content is odd?" he asked, making the other three more puzzled. "If it was written to a loving father, don't you feel it's a bit harsh? It's angry…" then Harry's eyes caught something, a book on op of a small table at the corner of the room. Darren caught his look.

"That's the invitation book for Elisa's funeral, I was given the job to collect donation, that's why I remembered," said Darren, but when he saw Harry went to the book and picked it up to read, he freaked out. "Don't Harry!" he cried.

Harry found the name he wanted in the book. "This is…" his discovery was cut short when he heard Ms. Catherine on her way back to the living room. He quickly put back the book to the way it was before and frantically sat back in his seat beside Hermione.

Ms. Catherine came back with a box of salt water taffy. "Sorry to make you wait, all I have is just taffy from the neighbouring town," she said apologetically.

"It's alright, Ms. Catherine," Alin replied, sending a that-was-close look to Harry, along with Hermione and Darren. Harry was not bothered by the looks he was receiving and ate the delicious taffy.

* * *

It was getting late as they left. "Sorry to bother you, Ms. Catherine, in this late hour," said Alin politely, bowing slightly at the older woman at the front of the house.

"It's quite alright, come anytime you want," she said smiling kindly.

"Can I ask one thing, Ms. Catherine?" Harry asked as the others were about to leave.

"What is it, Harry?" she asked back.

"Elisa's father… did he came to the funeral?" he asked hopefully.

There was a moment of pause and a bit of fear and hesitation in the older woman's eyes before she answered. "No… he's seldom at home, I can't get a call through to him," she said honestly.

"Oh… really."

As the teenagers left a breeze blew over them. Harry noticed for a moment the older woman's hair as it flailed about her head and shoulders, and the cherry blossoms tree illuminated in the back. Ms. Catherine silently watched them go.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey readers, not so much as the last Teenage Detective, maybe of the less magical element, but i hope i get more reviews here at FF because at i got more than here...

Hope those who are putting this story under favourites reviewed or else i will pull this story off at FF, because i want to start a new story.


	6. Everyone's Dreaming

**Teenage Detective**

**Chapter 5: Everyone's Dreaming**

"I think each of you know by now St. Edwards and the harbour have a history together for over sixty years."

The principle spoke through a megaphone as he stood on the small stage in front of what was left of the school: thirty six students and six teachers.

"Sadly this history ends next February," he finished solemnly as the students whispered to each other grimly.

"Although, I hope you can still fulfil the wishes and hopes of St. Edwards High," the principle finished and dismissed the assembly.

* * *

Harry and his friends had a bit of rest for the day. Farah's funeral was to take place this evening at her house.

Alin sighed, resting her back against one of the rails for exercising. "Today is the day," she said quietly. "One by one, the folks will leave to move to the neighbouring town, St. Ian, to work at the larger and more promising harbour."

Kevin, standing beside Alin, lifted his head from the railing. "Are you going to move to St. Ian too, Corbin?" he asked anxiously.

Corbin snorted and mocked laughter. "No way, my father is a hard headed guy. He will never move, he's too loyal to your family's business, Kevin. The Laporte Company is his life," the blonde boy told everyone.

Kevin sighed in relief. "Yeah… my brilliant father must have a plan… and my mother married another guy," he said emotionlessly.

"What are your plans when the school closes? The principal suggested us to move to other schools in the neighbouring towns," said Amy curiously, she would not want to be alone.

"I think I would like to go to London to further my studies," Darren said abruptly, surprising everyone a bit.

"What do you mean?" Alin asked inquiringly.

Darren paused to collect some air and then explained. "There are a lot of tuition classes in London. If I want to get into a great university, I think it best if I study there."

A little embarrassed he turned to Harry. "Hey, Harry, why don't you show me around next summer?"

Harry smiled and nodded. "Okay. You could stay at my place."

"I want to go too," Amy chirped in. "I want to see my aunt!"

"If that's the case," Alin chimed in, smiling, "why don't we all to London and visit Harry's place?" Adding slyly, "His treat, of course."

"What?" Harry moaned as Hermione and everyone laughed save one person. Harry noticed the tall lanky boy with crew cut hair looking down at the ground and not laughing with the others.

* * *

Harry decided to show Hermione around the school, since he did not want the whole day to be melancholy. He showed her the wall, where he doodled with the other boys. To his surprise it was still there, which brought a smile to his face. Then he showed her the classroom where he studied incidentally for two weeks. And the storeroom where he played a prank on Corbin, by locking the boy in.

Then they passed a corridor with trophies and first prize paintings. His eyes caught Elisa's art, a picture of a man with his back to visitor's eyes, not showing his face, standing closely beside a cherry blossom tree. At first he was deeply amazed on how realistic the picture was but when he read the title of the art 'Father', his heart beat faster and he gulped.

'Gavin LP!'

His mind was so into the name that when a hand held his shoulder, he jumped in shocked. He spun around and was very surprised to see a man in his forties, large and wearing squared spectacles. "Ah, Mr. Simmons, you gave me a heart attack," he whined, and then he remembered Hermione was supposed to be with him, but she was missing.

"It's really you, Harry Potter from London, the boy who once disguised himself as a student of this school," said Mr. Simmons, the science teacher. "You've changed a lot but that emerald eyes tell me who you are in an instant," he said, laughing,

"Yeah, that's what everyone says," Harry replied, not really finding it funny. "You haven't seen Hermione, have you?"

"The young lady you were with? She's at the Tennis Club storeroom with Ms. Hancock."

"Thank you," Harry said and left to find Hermione.

* * *

"The great Harry Potter came and thank goodness, everything can be done in a jiff!" said Amy enthusiastically; handing over the box she was carrying to Harry.

"Erm… no problem," replied Harry unenthusiastically.

The storeroom was well taken care of, everything placed neatly. The shoe racks were used as a cabinet and trophies shone from above the rack. Hermione was sweeping the floor, while Harry moved some boxes here and there. Amy was wiping the table.

"Why would you still come and look after this room all by yourself?" Harry asked, a bit rude. His arms were killing him with carrying the boxes.

Any turned to him and answered happily. "Because this school has no Tennis Club and because of that as a senior student, I must come and play"

Harry put down the boxes in one the slots on the shoe rack. "So it's like that."

Amy nodded. "But the lack of members closed this club a year and a half ago," she said sadly. "If five or more people sign up, this club can start up again."

By now Hermione stopped sweeping and listened in the conversation.

"To wait for that day, I always come and clean the club room."

"I didn't know you're so determined," he complimented.

She blushed and winked at Harry. "What would you say if I told you my dream is to enter the Wimbledon tournament?" she asked demurely.

Harry laughed. "I would say you sure are a great dreamer," he replied, then he noticed Amy was silent and he stopped laughing. Then tears started to form in her eyes. The red headed girl quickly wiped them away.

"Amy…?" Hermione murmured, almost gasping.

"Ho, ho…sorry…! Can't stop giggling till I was laughing," she said lamely, and wiped her eyes more in frantic. "This will ruin my image… I used to be bright…" she faced away from them.

Then the lights on the ceiling started to blink. Amy took this time to change the subject. "Oh, the electricity will be out soon…. We have to go now!" she told them, a bit harsh and quick.

Harry and Hermione just remained silent and followed Amy out of the school, leaving the club room half clean.

* * *

Harry and Hermione went back to Alin's place to change for Farah's funeral. When they both got separated to their separate rooms, Alin sprang out of nowhere and seemed over eager to tell Harry something.

"Harry! Harry! I got it!" she said excitedly, with an equal expression. She grabbed him by the collar, pulling their faces close. Harry was surprised. "The important things are the cherry blossom tree and the goal post opposite it across the field. If you draw a line between them it crosses the spot where Farah was found."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, puzzled. He wanted to get away from Alin's wild theories. She had been like this ever since the incident at school.

"On the day of the incident, the killer invited Farah to the school earlier than any of us. Now, here's the method. The killer, holding the dart, climbed the tree, and slid down a rope tied between the tree and the goal post. As he did so, when he was near her, he stabbed her in the back of her neck with the dart!" Alin then let go of Harry and crossed her arm in proud fashion.

"And with this method there will be no footprints left on the snow covered field," she said smugly, Harry just shook his head, disagreeing.

"What if Farah wasn't anywhere near the rope line?" he asked forwardly. Alin was going to think of answer but Harry continued.

"Also when she the rope she would have to be curious. She would have looked and seen someone coming at her. But she never tried to run. And the killer would have to leave footprints removing the rope."

Alin sighed in defeat. "So what's your view?" she asked, with pleading eyes.

"There is a way," Harry answered Alin was surprised that he had one so soon. "Only one way."

* * *

Corbin and Kevin joined them half an hour later outside Alin's house and the five of them began walking to the funeral. They all dressed the same as they had for Elisa's funeral.

Alin, Hermione, and Corbin walked a few feet ahead of Harry and Kevin.

"Can't stand it," Alin said gloomily. "It's like every day we go to another friend's funeral."

"But we can't make excuses to not go," said Corbin with a sigh.

Meanwhile, Harry and Kevin were having a conversation of their own.

"Hey Kevin," Harry said to the tall broad boy.

"Yeah," Kevin replied.

"Why doesn't Corbin play the guitar like he use to?" Harry asked casually.

"Well, at the last Snow Festival, last year, he went missing for a month."

Harry was shocked to hear it. "A month?"

"Yes," Kevin replied and nodded. "And when he came back he didn't want to play anymore and started helping his father."

Harry felt sad to hear that. "Everyone's changing," he said blankly.

"Yeah it's been nine years!" Kevin said and Harry laughed.

"And I can't believe you don't play football anymore. I always thought you'd be a great football player someday," Harry told Kevin with a smirk.

Kevin snorted. "I thought the same thing back in the twelfth grade. When I made it into high school, the football club was quite active, even though we had only twelve or thirteen members. But with me and Darren, we were known as the best," Kevin looked up at the sky and continued his explanation. "We beat teams from the cities that have even more players. The summer games too were the greatest for us."

"Then why did people leave?" Harry asked as they walked pass the playground.

A ball came rolling from the playground and stopped in front of them. Kevin stooped and picked it up.

"Sorry," a kid from the playground yelled at them. "Can you please pass the ball back to us." They waited patiently.

Kevin was just staring nonchalantly at the ball. Harry looked at Kevin and was puzzled at the tall boy's act. "Aren't you going to throw it back to them?"

"Huh? No, you can," Kevin requested and Harry gasped. He threw the ball back quickly and turned back to Kevin.

"My shoulders are injured," Kevin confessed. "When I was in the second year of high school, I was playing so rough that I ended up injuring my whole body. Even with treatment and surgery my shoulders can't be healed."

He rubbed his shoulder as though it was still sore. "The news of me being injured kinda dispirited the other club members and, one by one, they left and a lot of them changed schools." Then with a sigh, he made a confession. "Maybe I too should have back off at that time."

Harry was utterly speechless. After hearing both Corbin and Kevin's stories he could not come up with any reply, but he reminisced about Corbin's attempt on a Van Helen song and the time everyone played football nine years ago.

* * *

When they reached Farah's house, a police car was parked right in front of it. The five teenagers were shocked to see this and ran the rest of the way. They bumped into Darren and Amy, who were standing near the door. Darren waved at them to come over.

"Why are the police here?" Harry asked swiftly.

Darren nodded.

"Something about a shoe," he answered simply.

"Maybe it's just the work of a prankster." The inspector came to the conclusion easily.

Mrs. Tornberg was stubbornly explaining that is was not what the inspector thought. "On the day of Elisa's funeral, Farah dried a very wet shoe near the window, but now it was gone. Maybe it's got something to do with the murder case," she explained in a grave voice.

The inspector shook his head in annoyance. His laziness made him come to the easy conclusion. "I know your feelings as a mother, but your daughter committed suicide. Only her footprints were visible."

"But…" Mrs. Tornberg protested, flabbergasted at the treatment she was getting.

"Inspector!" someone yelled form the door.

"What?" the aging inspector spun around and saw Harry bursting through the door with the six others.

"Did I hear right, that her shoes were stolen? That's proof that she didn't kill herself, but was murdered," Harry said with precision.

Harry's abrupt interruption enraged the inspector. "You. You're the kid who likes to turn the facts around, what do you want this time!"

Harry was direct to the point. "To tell you that this matter should be handled in a proper way," he stated. The inspector narrowed his eyes, angered at being called incompetent, but Harry continued. "You see, the footprints on the snow that day weren't left by Farah but the killer himself."

"What? That's absurd!" the inspector leered.

"Not at all. On each of the seven mornings before Christmas the snow falls and the rain follows an hour later. The killer knows this and invited Farah to the school to kill her. Afterward the killer wore Farah's shoes and walked backward to leave the field. That's why only Farah's footprints were found. And that's why the stolen shoes have a rational explanation. Had the footprints been investigated they would probably have been found to not have been Farah's. But the rain came later and nobody investigated the footprints, so we will never know. Which is what the killer wanted." Harry said the last bit with a small growl.

Everyone in the room was in awe of Harry's deduction, especially the two girls. The detective shook his head in annoyance again and asked.

"So the footprints were a ploy to trick us into thinking Ms. Tornberg killed herself?"

Harry raised a brow. "Isn't finding the evidence your job?" he quipped.

The inspector was taken aback and frantically ordered his men to do something. Alin and Corbin came to Harry's side and gave him the most painful pat-on-the-back that Harry ever felt.

"You're so cool, like a real detective!" Alin squealed, patting Harry numerous times.

"Bloody damn, really out of my thoughts, you aren't that stupid!" Corbin said in astonishment. Harry just quietly whined in pain. Hermione on the other hand was awfully quiet.

Harry went on to sign the guest book on the reception table, while cursing his friends for taking a chance to hurt him. Just when he was about to scribble, his eyes found a name.

'Gavin L.P'

Harry alarmingly scanned right and left, he carefully looked at every single person in the room.

"Is he here, right now?"


	7. A Man Named Gavin

**Teenage Detective**

**Chapter 6: A Guy Named Gavin**

Alin was aware that Harry was acting slightly odd after seeing the guest book. "Hey Harry, what's wrong?" she asked. Then she noticed the certain name on it. "It's!"

After informing Hermione, they began to spread out and look out for any male with a scar on his cheek. But their search was to no avail.

"Did you girls find him?" Harry asked as they met up again.

Alin shook his head. "I can't find him, if he did come, I could have spotted him from miles away," she said.

"Maybe he left early because he got something to do," Hermione guessed.

"Or maybe because of the police, Mr. Gavin is a much suspected person right now," claimed Alin. They quit searching and went through the funeral in a somber mood.

* * *

"Why all of a sudden you want to go to Corbin's place?" Alin asked anxiously as she and Hermione walked briskly to catch up to Harry.

"You already solve the footprint mystery, shouldn't we be searching for Elisa's father who is in town," Hermione pointed out a bit mad at Harry for the way he was turning his back when spoken to.

"The problem appeared above the footprints," Harry told them, but the girls were puzzled. "If the killer's method was really what I just proved to the inspector, then the killer must be the one who stole Farah's shoes, proceeded to do the murder, wait for the snow to come down and walk backwards to leave prints."

"Yeah isn't that the whole story," Alin said in annoyance.

Then Harry turned his head to them while walking. "If that's the case, then to whom is the killer showing the footprints to?"

Harry's point took the girls by surprise. Hermione the spoke. "Of course it should have been obvious in the first place, after an hour of snowing, the rain will fall and destroy the footprints, it would be a waste of time if nobody saw them."

"In other words," Harry continued for Hermione. "The killer is someone who knows that the footprints will be seen by someone later."

Alin eyes went wide. "Could it be..," she stuttered.

"Furthermore I think the killer knew the time we were going to dig up the time capsule," Harry said hesitantly.

"No way!" Alin protested furiously. "It can't be one of us. It just can't be!"

"But Harry," Hermione cut in. "Everyone was present when we walked into the school area, before that, the snow didn't fall yet, so there shouldn't be any prints left by us."

"Yes this shows that everyone has an alibi!" Alin added firmly.

Harry looked at the girls with nonchalant face. "Everyone?" he said simply.

The girls then realized they forgot someone. "Corbin!"

* * *

Police cars were parked in front of an old rundown double storey house where Corbin and his family live. The police was questioning Corbin, who was alone at home.

"But I have an alibi," Corbin scowled. "Before six, I was doing chores at the harbour and left the place around six."

The inspector smirked. "We also did our investigation and you left at five fifty pm, which left ten minutes before the snow fall down," he said then turned rough towards Corbin. "But I heard you were on a motorcycle going to the harbour, why is that!" the inspector demanded.

The inspector's foul interrogation skill worked and it made the blonde nervous. "If I rode on a bicycle like I always do, I'll be late for my friends," he said tensely.

"But you were late in the end," he shot a scary glare at Corbin, making him silent. "Only at six twenty, you appeared at the school area, isn't that correct?" he added with satisfaction.

Then he did the absurd, the inspector showed the town map and the quickest route from the harbour to the school. "I asked a traffic policeman to ride a motorcycle following this route, twenty minutes was all it takes! In other words, before you saw your friends, you got ten minutes to do the crime," he accused.

This made Corbin seethed with anger. "How can that be? I can't ride the bike well yet so don't compare me with a traffic police!" he scowled.

The inspector ignored Corbin's yelling. "Enough you're coming with me to the station," said the grey haired man, motioning his men to arrest Corbin.

But suddenly the door burst open. "Wait!" yelled Harry, he was panting heavily, but his composure still intact. Alin and Hermione were behind him, panting.

"Harry!" Corbin said in confusion.

Harry ignored Corbin and got to his point. "No matter how fast he rode the bike that day, he can't reach the school before six ten and that's why Corbin has an alibi!"

The inspector was infuriated with Harry. "You again, what's the weird now?" he spoke with a bit of anger.

"Isn't the snow fall on six am?" Harry asked back.

The inspector nodded, his brows raised. "Yeah, the real time was five fifty eight but I don't see a problem here?"

"Think carefully," Harry said. "If Corbin arrived at school at six ten, the snow should've been piling at school; the question is how did Corbin walk into the middle of the school field without leaving any footprints?" Harry's question caught the outlandish inspector and the police by surprised and they were quiet, unable to answer. "If he did left footprints, not all would be covered by snow ten minutes later!"

The police left with humiliation especially the inspector. The sound of the police car faded as Alin hotly waved at them.

Harry winked at Corbin while grinning. "It's alright now, Corbin!"

"Harry.." the blonde boy murmured.

"This makes Elisa's father more suspicious!" said Alin indignantly, her temper still need some time to cool off.

Harry then spoke what on his. "In my opinion, maybe its time we gathered and talked about the time capsule at the park, we were heard by or our mobile phones were heard unknowingly… even though its-"

Hermione cut off Harry, something she has not done a long time. "Harry, if we have time to talk, isn't it better to go straight for the answers?" she said in her bossy tone.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked quickly.

"Let's go and find Ms. Catherine and asked about Mr. Gavin L.P, if the father and daughter did write letters to each other, she should've known something," Alin said and it made sense and also took Harry by surprise.

Harry thought for a moment then spoke in agreement but when he saw Alin and Hermione already went ahead, he quickly dashed to catch up, leaving a clueless Corbin behind.

* * *

It was almost dawn when they reached Ms. Catherine's restaurant at a neighbouring town. Harry, Hermione and Alin were welcomed and treated to a nice dinner.

"Sorry to bother you, Ms. Catherine," said Alin sincerely.

"It's quite alright… lunch already pass and I have my rest, I'll prepare some dinner for you three," she said dotingly, and left to the kitchen. She came back later with food she thought Harry and Hermione would love.

Harry's eyes caught the address of the restaurant on the menu; he then remembered that in the guest book at Farah's funeral had addresses also.

"Ms. Catherine," he called the older woman to attention. "During the Elisa's funeral, you said her father was absent, isn't that right? He asked.

The older woman was quite puzzled but answered yes anyway.

"But in the guest book has someone name Gavin L.P and the address was this place." Then Harry stood up from his seat. "Please tell us the truth, did Elisa's father really come to the funeral!" he demanded although he was showing rudeness.

Ms. Catherine was silent for a moment then laughed a bit. "You got it wrong, Harry dear," she said in her laughter, making the teens puzzled.

"You got the wrong Gavin L.P, he's not my ex-husband," she said truthfully.

"What!" the teens gasped in unison.

"The Gavin that came to the funeral was another person… he's a regular customer of this restaurant, and used to be our neighbour, that's why he came to the funeral… there's a lot of L.Ps here and Gavins too… about six or five of them in town," she explained. "Don't you know what L.P stands for?"

Ms. Catherine's question hit his mind, and he immediately thought of someone. "Then where's Elisa's father now?" he asked.

The older woman's face turned solemn. "About that… before Elisa passed away, it's hard to contact him, you could say he hasn't known about his daughter yet."

* * *

The three went back to Alin's place by bus. Along the ride, Harry was unusually quiet while Alin was frustrated.

"Another dead end, have to start from the beginning," the wavy haired girl mumbled.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked, anxious of his quietness.

"I feel like I've been careless of something," he answered back simply.

* * *

At the same time, Amy was at school. All the lights were turned off, so she equipped herself with torchlight and went to her favourite place, the Tennis Club room. She was carrying a paper bag from the hardware shop.

"This place is too dark," she said with worry, when she opened the door of the club room.

She placed the things she was carrying on the table and moved the chair adjacent to the burn out light above her.

"Have to hurry and change the light bulb and find that thing," she said to herself. "If that thing picked up by someone else, I'll-" she jumped when she heard the door creaking.

A dark figure came into the room as Amy spun around in fright. "Who's there?" she asked, almost screaming.

She turned relief when she recognised the visitor. "Oh, it's you, what do you want?... you almost scared me, why did you come here?" she said stutteringly.

The figure remained silent and pulled out a dart from his pocket.

Amy's eyes went wide as she saw the same type of weapon that killed her bestfriend. Her mind told her to run and she did but the killer grabbed her swiftly. Then with all her might she pushed the killer off her, the killer then staggered backwards. Amy ran pass him but slipped down when she stepped on to something beady and fell down on her front. The killer was now standing above her and she crawled toward the nearest wall.

She turned around, putting her back to the wall. She took a good look at the cold face of the killer. She was utterly terrified for her life. The killer held her now.

"You… you killed Farah!" she cried.

The killer drew out the dart again.

"No…stop!" Amy pleaded.

A shrill scream erupted that night, but no on heard as eerie silent followed.

* * *

Harry could not stop the burdening guilt inside him. The day started normally when he, Hermione, Alin, Kevin and Darren were waiting for Amy and Corbin in front of Alin's parents' motel. They were planning to help the townspeople cleaning up the Snow Festival. Next thing he knew was Corbin came screaming on his bike, screaming for them to run to the school.

They were not permitted to go inside the school but all they heard was the news of Amy's death, killed in the same way Farah did. Alin instantly broke into tears as Hermione gathered her in a hug to comfort her. The bushy haired girl too was in tears.

Though his friend's mourning did not reach his ears, all he could do was recalled Amy in his memories.

"Amy, you dressed a bit showy!" Harry teased when he was eight year old to Amy and Darren laughed along.

"I hate you guys!" an eight year old Amy cried in anger.

He then reminiscent about yesterday's conversation.

"This will ruin my image… I used to be bright," she wiped her eyes quickly and faced from the other two occupants in the room.

Harry gritted his teeth. "Unforgiveable!" he cursed, and slammed his fist to the school wall, blooding his hand. The others were surprised by his action but he did not care.

"I can't forgive something like this to happen… no matter the excuse… I will catch the killer with my own hands!" he swore to himself and with determined face and also the memory of Amy, Farah and Elisa in his mind.

"You'll wait… I'll capture you!"

* * *

A/n: I'm trying to finish this story so i can be proud of finishing a story this year.


	8. The Investigation Beckons

**Teenage Detective**

**Chapter 7: The Investigation Beckons**

Amy's funeral was taken place immediately. The police has taken the case seriously and the townspeople became worried of what has become of their town. Harry and the others sat gloomily and frightened as they listened to the preaching.

"After Elisa, it was Farah and now Amy, a funeral one after another, damn it!" cursed Corbin under his breath. "What is happening to this town, it's like death is upon us."

They could not agree more with the blonde, but Harry was unusually quiet again.

"What the?" Darren said a bit loudly, rummaging through his bag a bit frantically.

"What is what?" Hermione asked the large boy beside her.

"I can't seem to find my bracelet, I know I put it in my bag just this morning," he told them, as the other three people began to search for their bracelets.

"What? Mines gone too," Kevin said disbelievingly.

"What is happening? Are they stolen?" Alin said in anxiousness.

"Rubbish," Kevin disagreed. "Why would someone steal them?"

Harry thought it was odd that all four people have lost their bracelets. It was too much of a coincidence. Then like lightning, his brain remembered Farah's words back when Elisa's funeral was held.

_"We bought the bracelets together, how can I be the only one who should not bring it,"_

Those words gave him a thread…

* * *

"Harry," Alin called the jet haired boy, her head lying on the table.

"Yup," he replied, drinking his coffee, sitting opposite of Alin. Hermione was on his right side watching piteously at Alin's gloominess.

"The darts used by the killer, should have one more right?" she asked in a muffled voice.

"Obviously," he replied,

"Maybe… I am his next victim," she said nonchalantly.

"Alin! Don't say such nonsense," Hermione sternly warned.

"But I won't die that easily," she spoke back and gave a furious look. "I will bite any parts of the killer so that everyone would know the person with my bite marks is the killer."

"I don't think you would be killed," Harry said, assuring his wavy haired friend.

Then Hermione opened up about Amy. "But the case happened at night," she said.

Alin felt odd about this fact. "Why would she go to the clubroom at that late hour?" she asked.

"Because she left something there, therefore she went back to find it,  
Harry stated.

Hermione chirped in then. "Yes, we helped her cleaning up the clubroom though not entirely clean."

"Cleaning up the clubroom? Why?" Alin asked, finding it surprising.

"She told us she used to play Tennis during her junior high times," Hermione told her.

"There was no Tennis Club when she moved up to high school, she really wanted to keep on playing," Harry added.

"Oh, I see," Alin murmured softly.

"This morning I got a glimpse of the murder scene, the boxes have obvious look that they were moved. They were not from the scuffle between Amy and the killer but traces of Amy's search," Harry explained in a more detailed explanation.

"Maybe so… plus there was also a paper bag from the hardware shop," Hermione said.

"Really? What does that mean?" Alin asked puzzled.

"Right, there were no lights when Hermione and I helped Amy, so she bought the light bulb to help in her search." Then Harry became in deep thought.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked anxiously.

Then his face turned shock. He stood up and took his jacket. "I'm going out for awhile," he announced and grabbed his jacket.

Both girls were surprised. "Wait a minute, Harry!" but Hermione's cry was too late as Harry left already.

* * *

Harry arrived at the school gate, where a policeman on guard duty halted him. "I'm sorry, but you can't enter, a police investigation is currently running," the policeman told Harry.

"But I left my school bag in the locker," Harry lied.

Before the policeman can response, the inspector emerged from the school building, looking lost. "Just let him in, Mickey," ordered the inspector, who sounded tired. Both Harry and policeman stared at the middle aged man in surprise.

"This boy isn't any ordinary kid."

* * *

A white line was made to mark where Amy's body was. But Harry's attention was not focus on it. Instead he carefully examined the room without touching anything. The boxes, like he discerned, were not in a mess by cause of a scuffle but cause by searching. He then moved his attention to the small desk. A white line was also made to mark two evidence pieces, a torchlight and a paperbag.

"Did the paperbag was opened?" Harry inquired the inspector.

"Nope, the things inside were not touch at all," the inspector answered calmly.

"Was there a light bulb inside?" he asked another question that made the inspector surprised.

"How do you know that?" the middle aged man asked back.

Harry proceeded to switch on the lights. The light from the ceiling did not light up. Then he positioned the chair right below the light.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" the inspector asked anxiously.

"Just a moment," Harry told him. He stood up on the chair and took out the square glass cover and the bulb too. "So tight…" he muttered, and inspected the light bulb. It was unwired.

"Inspector, can I search another thing?" he asked sincerely.

"What? Go ahead… but don't go searching till this room in a mess," the inspector warned.

Harry went off the chair and searched under the table, for something or anything. Then he felt something, round and small. He pulled it out and felt it.

"This is it," he said reassuringly to himself. "With this I know who the killer is but the only problem left is the killer's alibi when Farah was murdered. It must be hidden somewhere."

* * *

Harry thanked the police thought the inspector shrugged him off quickly. They quickly left the school area. Harry smirked at this and as he was about to stepped out of the gate.

"Hey Harry!" called someone, and Harry saw a large boy with crew cut hair.

"Darren?" he said in surprised.

* * *

Darren brought Harry back to his house for some coffee. They hanged out in the boy's bedroom which reminiscence Harry of his old room at the Dursleys.

"Why did you go to that place?" Darren asked, handing Harry a cup.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Harry replied, taking the cup and resting his back against Darren's bed.

"Nah, I just saw you walked in, so I…" but Darren did not get to finish his sentence when Harry cut him off.

"Wow! Good coffee mate" claimed Harry.

Darren grinned proudly. "I read books till late night every single day, so I made coffee to give me perk up, before I even know it, I am a good maker," he explained.

"Really?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Yes, here in this town, no tuition class is good enough, so if I want to get into a great university, I have to study hard," Darren said impishly. "I really wanted to become a lawyer someday," he added.

"I thought you were into football and girls," Harry said jokingly.

Darren glared at Harry but shrugged it off the joking comment. "That was because it was Kevin, he was a star player, no matter how many times I practice, I will never be the best. I played because I want to see him succeed in his dream."

Harry was in awe hearing this.

"Hey it's getting late, how about you sleeping here tonight, my parents are out of town, we can talk till late night," said Darren with a sly look on his face.

"Don't you need to study?" Harry raised a brow.

"Sometimes we have to clear our mind," the large boy said with sarcastic spiritual voice.

"You all talk, alright, but I have to call Alin first to let her know."

* * *

"Oh… okay, I'll see you tomorrow morning then," Alin spoke as she put down the phone down. "He's so troublesome sometimes," she huffed.

Then Hermione came into the hallway. "Hey who called?" she asked coolly.

Alin made an irate noise. "It's Harry, he's staying at Darren's," Alin told Hermione, pursing her lips.

"Oh… and why are you mad about that? I see nothing wrong," said Hermione, raising her brows.

"I thought he went out doing some investigation, instead he does god knows what boys do," Alin scowled, raising her hand like she wanted to choke someone.

Hermione patted the wavy haired girl's back. "Calm down, Harry's fine, he always make it through to the end," she said reassuringly.

Alin did not understand. "What do you mean?" she faced the other girl inquiringly.

But before Hermione replied, Alin spoke again. "Wait… wait, let's talk this over hot chocolate in my room."

* * *

The two girls chatted endlessly in Alin's room, exchanging information about each other and some Harry too. Hermione was careful enough not to talk about the Wizarding World.

"Harry used to need someone to look after him? I find that a bit hard to believe," said Alin dubiously.

"You wouldn't believe how many times in a week we got into a mess in Chemistry, one time he created a blue smoke and turned the whole room into blue," Hermione said, telling her story, and both girls laughed.

"But he has been through so many hardships, one more burden than the last one…" she said with gloomy expression.

Alin listened closely.

"Problems seemed to find him or he find them blindly, at first I don't know he overcome them, so that's why I've been sticking with him the whole way," the bushy haired girl explained.

"Has Harry ever find the things he wanted the most?" Alin asked.

"That depends on him, he's still learning though…" Hermione suddenly yawned. Seeing this Alin decided to tuck in.

* * *

Harry woke up to the sound of Darren's annoying snoring. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. The room was in a mess. Tin cans everywhere, books strewn around. Apparently, he slept on the floor. They sure did have a boys' night.

He stood up and examined the room more. He noticed that he was using the room's carpet as a blanket along with Darren. Ha laughed to himself.

Then he stood up and walked to the window and opened it. He felt a slight breeze coming in after sliding the window up. That was when he noticed the infamous cherry blossom snow pouring down again.

"Suppose to be the second last day today, tomorrow will be the last of this miracle snow," he said to himself.

Then something caught his attention, the clean and sandy beach. He noticed that the snow did not pile up there.

Darren then suddenly sneezed, making Harry jumped. He closed the window and apologized.

Harry then went back to lying down, trying to continue some shut eyes. But before he could do that, a thought occurred to him.

He frantically stood back up, picked up his jacket and got out of the house without awakening Darren.

* * *

He walked along the beach, with only the sea creating waves as the noise. "There's really no snow here, why?" he asked himself.

Then he saw a man with his fishing kit gearing up for fishing. Harry quickly went to the man. "Excuse me, sir," he called the man. His call caught the man's attention.

"Why isn't there any snow piling on the beach?" he asked.

The old man huffed. "The question you're asking is a high school level science," he told Harry.

"Science?"

"Yes but however…" the man began to explain thoroughly and Harry understood the man's explanation.

"Yes those facts are really in the text books…" then something dawned in his mind. He knelt down and grabbed a handful of sand. "So that's the trick."

He stood back and thanked the man, but something else caught his eyes. There was a name on the box containing various fishing hooks. The name was 'La Porte'.

"Sir, are you Kevin's father?" Harry asked.

"What? No… you got it all wrong, I may have the same name but we're distant, very distant relatives," he explained politely and then asked. "Are you dear Elisabeth's friend?"

"You knew Elizabeth?" Harry asked back, raising his brows.

The man nodded and explained everything to Harry, a new revelation was found.

* * *

Snow turned to rain, a glum boy walking alone, bask in falling water.

"The colour of happiness, the unforgiving colour," he mumbled.

"I couldn't believe it was this…"

"Mystery has been solved!"


	9. Forlorn Fact

**Teenage Detective**

**Chapter 8: Forlorn Fact**

Catherine did not expect visitors, early in the morning, especially the frequent person, who visited for the last three days. She invited him in. "Thank you for coming day after day," she said sincerely. "Elisa would be grateful."

The person merely nodded.

"The weather today is changing," she said starting a conversation while drinking tea. "The cherry blossoms falling and tomorrow will be the last of them."

"You are right, Ms. Catherine," the person said.

Then the older woman remembered something. "Yes, Harry came just now," she told the person, and he straight away froze. "He stood in front of Elisa's picture and rubbing it like he was reporting something."

The person's eyes turned wide. "Really…?"

* * *

"Yes… I'll wait here," Harry spoke to the phone, and put it down. He returned to Alin's place. Waiting for tomorrow.

* * *

"Thanks Aunty," Harry said, finishing his breakfast.

"Your welcome, Harry dear, it's good cooking for appreciating guests," said and compliment Alin's mother.

"When are you going back to London?" Alin asked out of the blue.

Harry took a sip from his tea. "Maybe after tomorrow," he told Alin.

Alin was surprised. "Really, what about…"

Harry cut her out. "Don't worry, that matter is no longer a problem." He stood up from his seat and thanked Alin and her mother. Alin tried to stop him, but he was already out of the house, leaving her confused.

At the same time, Hermione came down. "Oh Morning, Alin, where's Harry?"

Alin just look glumly at her and Hermione knew something was definitely wrong.

* * *

Nine years ago…

"You're late Harry Potter!" yelled Farah. "It's way past the desired time."

"Yeah!" cried Amy cheerfully.

Harry came running in to the snowy field. He apologized to everyone. Farah stated the whole cherry blossom process and the end of it.

"I already woken you up and still…" said Alin. Elisa giggled behind her.

"Did you bring the thing you wanted to place in the time capsule?" Amy asked, breaking the tension. Harry nodded, and brought out something wrapped in a package.

"What are you going to bury, Corbin?" Kevin asked curiously.

Corbin winked at him and shoved a cassette wrapped in pink paper and tape. "This but the inside is a secret, how about you?"

Kevin brought a big round shaped package.

"I going to guess that's a ball," Harry spoke slyly.

Kevin froze. "How did you know?"

"It's obvious!" everyone told him.

Then Harry turned to Elisa. "Hey Elisa, what about yours?"

She blushed. "Em… I," she said stutteringly, hiding her wrapped up thin package.

"I going to guess that's a photo album," Harry said, and winked at her.

She blushed and smiled mischievously. "Not telling you."

Then Harry turned to Alin. "And Alin's must be a diary," he spoke and Alin panicked, flushing red. "How did you know? Ah, you read it!" she cried.

The two children fought verbally, and to make matters complicated, Darren spied Amy's skirt until Corbin stopped the fight when he told everyone to take a group photo.

'CLICK!'

* * *

Back to the present…

Harry reached his proposed destination, and waiting there alone was the killer.

"Hey Harry, the others looked like they will be coming late," said the killer, without knowing what Harry's intention was.

"No one will come," Harry said curtly.

"What?" the killer was puzzled.

"I called you out to the school field so that I could speak to you in private," Harry told the killer, who continued to be puzzled. "Please I do not wish to report your dirty act to the police so please give yourself up!"

The killer turned shock and immediately spoke up. "What's gotten into you, Harry? If you want to talk nonsense, I want to go back now," the killer said crossly.

"I know you did it… you killed Farah and Amy," said Harry.

The killer laughed sarcastically. "What proof do you have?"

"The proof is from the bracelets," Harry replied. "The bracelets you bought as souvenirs for each of you."

The killer was stunned.

* * *

During Amy's funeral, everyone's bracelets were missing. At that time, someone said 'Rubbish, why would someone steal them?' If we thought something like that, we were already fooled by the murderer's trick.

The lost of the bracelets was something to do with the murders. The one who stole them would be the one who killed Farah and Amy.

But if that is true, why would the murderer steal the bracelets?

If the killer wanted to snatch the bracelets, he could only do it when everyone was putting their bags, wallets, purses and personal belongings at the guest's room. But under everyone's watchful eye, the killer took the risk; there must be something that forced him to do this sort of act.

The answer came from Amy's murder scene.

* * *

Harry brought out a small brown bead. "This small bead fell in the narrow spaces of the club room's floor," Harry explained.

"Did you drop it? At Elisa's funeral, you held it tightly but when Amy's was killed, she put up a fight and broke your bracelets and the beads dropped all over the floor."

"Based on what you are saying, the broken bracelet was mine," the killer spoke in defence.

"Correct… and based on your excuse, therefore you stole everyone's bracelet," Harry replied and the killer was silent.

"When the beads dropped everywhere in the dark you must be panicking if you couldn't find all of them, the consequence would be terrible."

"Another thing is you missed one bead and if it was found the police, you would be in trouble, the bracelets were bought in a trip, so only seven people have them. And if only yours was gone, you would be suspected."

"Therefore you thought of a plan, not only your bracelets, the others' bracelets were gone, and the suspected would be four people, far better then being the only suspected, so you stole them during Amy's funeral."

Then the killer defended again. "What are you saying?... you can't prove a bead from a bracelet was mine. Like you said four people were suspected, Isn't it right, Harry?"

But Harry did have an answer. "Is not that your bracelet was proven it was yours… this has an own answer!"

"What!" the killer was horrified.

"On the day she was murdered, fortunately Hermione and I were at the Tennis Club Room helping Amy out. At that time, I was already sure that the light bulb of the room was out!"

* * *

At that night, Amy was alone in the club room. She brought torchlight and she also bought a light bulb from the hardware store.

Obviously, she forgot something and went back to the club room. She turned on the torchlight and changed the light bulb. At that time, she was attacked by the killer.

But when the police investigated the place, it was found that the bag containing the light bulb was not opened. The light was not fixed.

* * *

"After I changed the light bulb, the light was fixed. This proof that Amy did not have time to change the light bulb and was killed in the dark," Harry told the killer, who was pale and sweating by now.

"But here's the weird part, because the beads from the murderer's bracelet fell all over the floor, have to pick it up one by one. Possibly, the murderer used the torchlight that Amy brought to find the beads."

"But why the killer didn't change the light bulb, wouldn't it be easier? So I changed it myself and the answer came out!"

"The killer could not change the light bulb at all!"

The lid was heavy and has to be taken out and carried using both hands. The murderer's right hand could not used at that time. One hand would not be enough to change the light bulb.

"Isn't that right, Kevin! You couldn't use your hands because the injuries you got. In other words, the killer has to be one the people who lost their bracelets and his hand cannot be raised above the shoulder. It fits you, Kevin. You killed Amy and Farah, didn't you?" Harry spat every word in disgust.

Kevin was sweating and unable to answer Harry.

"I say it again, give yourself up, please."


	10. The Truth in the Snow

**Teenage Detective**

**Chapter 9: Truth in the Snow**

Harry demanded Kevin to give himself to the police but the tall boy was defiant. "You think I'm a murderer, Harry? Don't speak such nonsense," he said. Snow started to fall on them.

In anger, Harry grabbed Kevin by the collar. He was utterly cross and in disbelief.

"Kevin! you…," but Kevin cut him off.

"Isn't it? According to you…"

* * *

According to Harry's discern, the killer killed Farah before the snow fell, when the snow started to pile up, the killer left by means of walking backwards, this is to trick people to think it was Farah's footprints.

The killer made the crime scene looked as if it was Farah's footprints were left behind. The police even said the killer did that to make it looked like Farah committed suicide.

* * *

Kevin spoke in defence. "If you remember correctly, on the morning we found Farah's body, I was with you and the two girls, there's no possibility that I waited with Farah's body till the snow fell. Could I done the impossible?"

Harry let go of Kevin's collar and sighed.

"You're right, Kevin, at that time, you could not leave any footprints, and I was almost fooled by you!"

Kevin's eyes went wide when he heard Harry's last sentence.

"You're really bright for assuming the police to think the walking backwards method, and the suicide conclusion," Harry looked serious at Kevin. "To leave the footprints behind on the snow filed was for people to think the killer was there till the snow started to pile up and to create a solid alibi," Harry uttered the shocking revelation.

"If that so… how do you explain the footprints?" Kevin asked back in retaliation. "Whose footprints are those? Other than walking backwards there's no way I can leave footprints on the snow!"

Harry just sighed and closed his eyes. "Kevin looked behind you," he told the tall boy.

Kevin then turned his head around in alarmed. His eyes widen again when he saw what he was deeply afraid. Footprints appeared like magic on the snow and connected to his feet. He turned his body fully.

"When did the footprints appear on the snow?" he spoke in astonishment.

"This is the trick you used on the morning of Farah's murder," Harry told his friend.

* * *

Last night, I have arranged everything like you did Kevin. The beach gave me this idea. The snow did not pile on the beach because the sand contains salt. Salt melts ice.

Gardening used salt around their plant to avoid snow piling up on their plants.

* * *

Harry took out a shoe box cover. "On that morning, you came earlier than any of us and designed this instrument," Harry explained, and showed the shoe box cover with a rectangular hole in the middle and grills taped to cover the hole. A shoe shape was drawn on the grill.

Kevin was utterly shocked to see this.

"Put this on the ground, and sprinkle some salt inside the shoe shape, this is to create salt pieces to melt the snow, so to make people think Farah walked toward the centre of the field!"

"After you were finished planning, you called Farah earlier and somehow made her wore her favourite white coat so people would think she was Farah the instant anyone saw her. Farah came, unknown for her date of death with the white coat."

Kevin continued to be silent, unable to speak anything, daring himself to hear every truth Harry spat out.

"After you killed Farah, you moved her body to the place where the footprints you made ended and left the field in a hurry. As long you were with us, you only have to pretend to see Farah's body in shock like everybody else."

"Furthermore, you knew the snow would turn to rain and washed away the salt so the police wouldn't find the trick. You really used this phenomenon to create this perfect trick."

Kevin sighed in defeat. "It was wrong to call you back here," said Kevin, almost in regret, and Harry was slightly taken aback by it. "But the real truth is Harry, when I called you up, I did not have the intention to kill those two!"

"Kevin…" Harry cut in. "Last morning I encountered your father."

"You saw my father?" Kevin said as though it was nothing.

"Gavin L.P or Gavin LaPorte, yours and Elisa's father share the same name," he told Kevin.

"Maybe if I knew that earlier, this whole fiasco would not have happen," Kevin lamented.

Then Harry asked something that he wanted to know for sure. "Are you and Elisa an item?"

Kevin nodded. "Yes, for a year and we were planning to get married one day," Kevin replied. "Ever since I was injured, Elisa always gave me hope to never give up."

* * *

"Kevin, you should be more cheerful, even if you stop playing football, you are still you," said Elisa cheerfully.

"I'm good only at football, there's nothing else I'm good at! What should I do…" Kevin's words were cut off by Elisa.

"That's because you never did anything other than playing football," spoke Elisa with a smile, Kevin remained blunt though. "Starting today we find something that you could do best… together. There must be something you could do and love it!"

* * *

"After reading a book Elisa lent to me, I started reading and writing and she read my bad novels, she praised me and encouraged me to continue writing," Kevin told Harry.

"I was utterly happy, maybe I could not play football but I can be a sport writer and Elisa gave me a hope! But the first trick I thought of was the footprint trick I created." Kevin went silent after that so Harry returned to his interrogation.

"Kevin… about Farah and Amy, both of them have a major crush on you, right?" Harry asked coolly and Kevin did not know how to answer. "Both of them were jealous when they found out about you and Elisa, so they created a lie based on both of your father's name and Elisa's father's name but it led to Elisa's untimely death…"

"Like the letter she left, I thought words of hatred for her father, the colour that thought to be happiness turned to unforgiving, finally I knew what she meant… Elisa was carrying your child."

The last sentence made Kevin broke down and he dropped down to his knees, looking down at the snow and cried.

"Yes, she was pregnant with my child," Kevin spoke in pant. "But I did not know it till I heard their conversation."

* * *

I was hiding behind the shadows of a lamp post. Farah and Amy were talking and walking, unknown my presence.

"For the sake of that, she killed herself, what a foolish girl," said Farah.

Amy turned pale. "But Farah, I saw it! I saw it, she bought that weird thing!"

"What weird thing?"

"A pregnancy test! She bought it at the pharmacy," Amy said a bit louder.

Farah immediately froze. "Are you sure, Amy?"

"Yes, that's why she assumed our lie was a truth and could not live…!"

When Amy said that, I did not know the whole story was about. They were still talking and my head was still about Elisa's pregnancy. It did not occur to me it was my child until…

"She must be carrying Kevin's child," Amy said and my world turned dark.

"So that's the case… she should have been happy to know she was pregnant but if it was her brother's child, things are unforgiving," said Farah, who was really scared by now.

"We only used the same initial name to trick her into believing she and Kevin were siblings. What now, Farah? If people got wind of this thing…" Amy did not get to finish her sentence as Farah cut her off.

"Don't be stupid, no one will ever know," Farah said adamantly. "It's not our fault, she misunderstood and committed suicide."

"Yes… you're right, of course," Amy said a bit hesitant.

* * *

"They said it was a misunderstanding, and because of that lie, Elisa died," Kevin spoke, while crying. He moaned Elisa's name over and over.

Harry gaze pityingly at his childhood friend.

"Harry… I was also a terrible person,"

* * *

The day before Elisa's death, she came suddenly to my house and wanted to see pictures when I was little. Without a thought, I just showed her.

When I got back from the loo, she was gone.

The photo album was opened on the first page. All of my pictures when I was little were on that page. One certain photo though…

Elisa's father lived right next door when I was little, a photo of him playing with me. When Elisa saw that picture, she must have believed the lie she heard and misunderstood that we were siblings.

* * *

"Doesn't make sense, right?" Kevin said downheartedly. "Even if I wanted to live with her forever, in the end, I did not understand the sorrow that forces her to death, I gave her the last punch!"

Kevin put his hand inside his pocket. "I also understood it was just not those two girls' fault. I did not notice any unusual things, that's why I am also guilty."

Kevin took out the last dart, the ones stolen from Elisa's coffin. Harry's eyes went wide. "This last dart is for punishment!" cried Kevin, holding the dart to his throat.

"Kevin… stop it!" Harry ran towards Kevin, as the dart was inches away from killing its last victim.


	11. Epilogue

**Teenage Detective**

**Epilogue**

Harry swiftly moved towards Kevin in terror, as the tall broad boy was trying to commit suicide with the last dart stolen from Elisa's coffin. His eyes widen as he saw the sharp tip of the dart touched Kevin's throat.

Out of the blue, a rock sized of a tennis ball hit Kevin's hand, making the tall boy winced and dropped the dart.

Harry seized this chance and tackled Kevin down. They both fell, panting, shocked and confused. Harry moved off his friend and watched the rock that saved his friend's life.

"Who threw…" his thought were cut short as he heard footsteps. He and Kevin saw them.

Darren, Corbin, Alin and Hermione came to them, watching them with worried expression.

"You guys… what are you guys doing here?" he asked puzzled.

"Sorry Harry, this morning Alin told me you went out in a hurry, I felt something was wrong and then Alin and I followed and then the boys came along," Hermione explained anxiously.

The snow was a quarter of an hour away from raining. The six still gathered in the middle of the field. Five watched down on the killer.

Darren spoke out. "Kevin… the truth is I was already suspected you in the beginning… suspected you killed Farah and Amy. Your relationship with Elisa… I knew it too from the beginning. When she died and Farah was killed by the 'Carrier's Darts'… I really knew you did it."

"But I couldn't think of you like that, we've been the best pair in football, I couldn't think of someone, who wants to become a professional football player become a murderer…"

Darren's bitter and regretful words made Kevin opened his eyes.

"You now know, Kevin, please don't kill yourself, we all want you to think, whether to commit a crime or not, we want you to keep on living, we really do hope you do too."

* * *

Snow turned to raindrops, pouring down on the six people in the field, Kevin could not hide the shame, so he closed his face with both his hands and cried. The footprints disappeared.

Without feelings, the last cherry blossom snow transformed into rain. The water deteriorated all the snow on the ground. The memory of nine years rose without a feeling.

On that day, we were playing under a cherry tree before we grown up. Maybe that was happiness in a short time.

Now on the same day, Kevin turned himself in to the police.

* * *

Three days later…

The remaining five decided to dig up the time capsule before Harry goes back to London.

"Unbelievable… we're digging in broad daylight!" Alin complained.

"Stop complaining… it's a Sunday," Corbin said coolly, while shovelling along with Darren and Harry, while Alin and Hermione watched with interest. "Plus Harry is going home today!"

Darren then chirped in. "If we don't dig now, we will be waiting forever."

Alin the kept her mouth shut and agreed with the two boys. They continued to dig and dig until one the shovel hit something.

"We got it!"

A metal bin stuck in the undergrowth, pulled out by eager teenagers. The lid was opened and eight wrapped packages of all sizes were still clean and undisturbed.

"Finally, let's open it one by one," Darren suggested and everyone agreed.

Alin grabbed one and it was the smallest with Corbin's name written on it. "This is Corbin's!" she said and opened it. Everyone gasped while Corbin flustered.

"Ah, that's!" he said anxiously.

The package was a cassette tape with the title 'Dream of a 17' written on it and other writings and Corbin's name.

' _Introducing Me To The Seventeen Year Old Me_

_Side A_

_Dream of a Seventeen_

_Lyrics_

_ComposerCorbin_

_Guitar_

_Side B: Elisa My Love'_

Darren burst into a laughing fit. "What's the name of this dorky song! You have no shame and you think you're a composer," Darren mocked in his laughter.

"Shut up, I was just eight!" Corbin retorted.

"Huh, what's on side B?" Harry inspected the cassette. Corbin head this and flushed. "So you were in love with Elisa, furthermore this song sounds cheesy," Harry said, trying to hold back his laughter.

Corbin snatched the tape away and shoved it in his pocket.

"Don't be stupid! Before we opened the time capsule, I have to make a confirmation so I wouldn't be bothered. A year ago I told Elisa… and she rejected me," Corbin explained.

"If that so then, the truth behind Corbin's sudden disappearance was…" said Harry in a suspense tone.

"Oh shut up!" Corbin barked.

"Next would be mine," said Darren as he opened some packages containing quality collector's cards. He grinned ruefully. "This would cost me a lot."

Harry opened a ball shaped package that he knew was Kevin's. As suspected, it was a ball but with some inscription on it.

'The 20th Junior Football Tournament Winner'

"This is Kevin's prize football he won when we were young," Alin told Harry.

Hermione opened one package too, and it was Amy's. "Look, Amy put in a ball too, a tennis ball. She wrote 'Wimbledon Champion'," said Hermione.

"Well she did say entering the Wimbledon was her dream," Harry told everyone.

Next was a diary. "Ah this must be Alin's, it's full of terrible recipes and also wanting to be a novel writer," Harry said disgustedly.

"You shouldn't be bothered by that," hissed Alin.

Harry then opened an envelope. "And Farah's one is…… a picture of Kevin?" he said puzzled.

"Behind it, there's something written on it," Corbin spotted.

Harry turned it around and read it.

"When this time capsule is open, I hope I can be someone that Kevin would be in love… Farah," Harry finished reading and everyone was silent for a moment.

"Ever since then, she thought of Kevin as a special someone," said Corbin, breaking the silence.

"She changed into someone who she thought Kevin would take interest into," Alin continued,

"When she heard of Kevin and Elisa, she was deeply frustrated and made a lie and without thinking of the consequences, Elisa was killed," Harry added. "Mistakes and misunderstanding have made things irreparable."

* * *

Harry opened his package, which was just a cap with a letter in it. He wore it and everyone saved Hermione was surprised it fit.

The letter said…

'_To myself…_

_If I am reading this by the time the time capsule open, it means that I am out of the Dursleys, have my own house, my own car and the best mates I could ever have… _

_Harry Potter

* * *

_

"Lastly would be Elisa's," Darren said, peeking excitedly into the lid. "Open it Harry!"

Harry picked up the package and unwrap it. Harry grinned softly. "A sketch book," he told everyone and flipped it open.

There were pictures of every one of them, doing what they do best. There were a sketch of Kevin and Darren playing football, a sketch of Corbin and his guitar, Amy playing tennis, Farah daydreaming and Alin being cheery.

"Everyone is doing what they like, but the best of all, the looks on the faces are genuine," said Alin, looking amazed at more and more of the sketches.

"She can get into great detail," Hermione discerned correctly.

"Even though she was a quiet person, sitting in a quiet place but she really love being with everyone," Corbin said admiringly.

"If this time capsule could be opened a little early, maybe things could change," Darren said regretfully.

Harry then shivered suddenly. "Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione asked caringly.

"I just felt something…" he abruptly stop when he noticed a snow flake fell on his shoulder.

It was like miracle, snow fell on them. "Snow?" Ali said puzzled. All of them looked around them in amazement as the cherry blossom snow fell again.

"The snow should have stop falling three days ago," said Harry.

"I don't believe it," Darren gasped.

"For three hundred years, it never happen like this before," said Corbin.

A paper slipped out of Elisa's sketch book and landed on Harry's feet. He picked it up and gaze with astonishment. It was a picture of him watching Elisa painting.

"_Why do you like painting in a quiet place like this?" he asked Elisa nine years ago._

"_I love the snow," Elisa answered simply.

* * *

_

Alin, Darren and Corbin accompanied Harry and Hermione to the train station. They wanted to bid farewell as they would not see the two for a long time.

"It's sad to see you go but I am going to visit you," Darren told Harry.

"You can come anytime," Harry told his plump friend, and they shook hands.

"Take care of yourself, and if you come back here, there's a nice fish for you," Corbin told Harry and winked at him. Then he added, "Take care of your girl too."

Both Hermione and Harry blushed at the blonde's statement.

"Hei Alin, are you ill or something?" Darren asked Alin, who was unusually herself.

"I'm fine, if I want to see Harry, I can do that anytime I want," she said and tears started to well down her eyes.

The train signalled for departure. The five teenagers exchange gratitude and hugs as Harry and Hermione boarded the train.

* * *

"I'm tired," Harry said and Hermione giggled at him.

"Can I sit here?" asked a gruff voice.

Harry answered yes as he turned his head to look at the stranger. He was slightly surprised to see a huge broad man in blue coat, more surprising that the man has a scar on his right cheek. Harry knew who the man is.

The man sat beside Harry. "Did you two come for the festival?" the stranger asked.

"Um… kind of," Hermione replied.

"Sorry for the interruption, I used to live in St. Edwards. Lately, I learned that my daughter passed away because of something, as a father…" the man hesitated to speak but then change the topic.

"Because of travelling, I didn't make it in time for her funeral, I shouldn't have…" the man hesitated again and then continued.

"Because of something, ever since she was small, she was away from me but we always wrote letters to each other but now she's gone, my heart is broken," the man stopped talking for a moment.

"Ah, forgive me, I am talking nonsense, my daughter used to post pictures to me too, and in one of the pictures has someone who looks just like you, that's why I don't care holding back anything."

"It's alright, this is also a coincidence," Harry told the stranger as the train moved in the setting sun.


End file.
